| A man in Philadelphia last December beat his 17 | | | | Zealand, Hungary and France have levels of child |
| month old toddler to death because she accidentally | | | | maltreatment deaths that are four to six times higher |
| pulled over his Xbox 360 by its cord. The man was | | | | than the average for the leading countries. |
| playing a 'violent combat epic' at the time and the 25 | | | | In the United States, where the little girl was |
| year old accused said he hit her because he thought | | | | murdered because of the Xbox, fatal child abuse |
| she had broken his console. Six months later in the | | | | rates are even worse: between 10 and 15 times |
| UK, a very successful, high powered millionaire | | | | higher than the countries at the top of the abuse |
| businessman has been sectioned under the Mental | | | | table. The factors which precipitate abuse seem to |
| Health Act for battering his 2 year old daughter to | | | | be growing with our increasingly impersonal lives. |
| death apparently because she disturbed his lie-in. He is | | | | Many parents are also becoming addicted to |
| reported to have 'heard voices' telling him to kill her. | | | | technology with little time for their children, being so |
| Is there a connection between this two incidents? | | | | engrossed in it that a child seeking attention, |
| It seems there is. Children are increasingly at risk in a | | | | affection and love at the wrong time could be asking |
| world where the high pressure caused by the | | | | for trouble. That suggests a huge decline in what we |
| demands of our jobs leave little time for quality | | | | value now in society. |
| family time. This man was a top executive in a big | | | | We are gradually moving into an age where many |
| organisation who seemed to have it all in his life - the | | | | children have to compete with technology and their |
| status, the family, the mansion, the money - yet | | | | parent' jobs for attention. There is constant |
| could beat his young child in such a way as to kill her | | | | distraction from all kinds of sources which rob our |
| without mercy. According to the latest report from | | | | children of validation and reinforcement in their family. |
| the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF) two | | | | But to be so at risk, even with their lives, should |
| children under the age of 15 die from abuse in the UK | | | | cause us as adults to stop and consider where we |
| every week. Internationally, the new figures show | | | | are really heading just now and is that destination |
| that five nations Belgium, the Czech Republic, New | | | | really worth it in the end? |