I’m not a violent person at all. But like most people, I get really irritated by stupid people and sometimes feel that I’d like to knock a bit of sense into them… preferably with a baseball bat… but in reality I know I could never hurt anyone or anything. I’m the type of person who covers my eyes when people fight on the TV.
One of my brothers on the other hand is completely different. He’s a bully. He’s extremely aggressive and is well known to the police for this and other reasons. When his name is typed into the computer at the police station his details display in red, and flashing!* Some of the things he has done to other members of my family are unimaginable, and they are rarely on speaking terms with him. It’s not a nice thing to say about your own brother, but really there is no other way to describe him – he’s just a nasty person.
He’s recently become a father again, this time to a son. I can’t help feeling resentful of this.** I would love children, but for various reasons I know it will never happen.
My Mum told me that he had “beaten someone up” again yesterday.
“Great. Nice to see he is taking the responsibilities of Fatherhood seriously” I replied. But actually I was forced to eat my own words.
He punched the man after seeing him repeatedly beat a child laying on the ground, with his belt. What did the boy do to be “deserving” of such a punishment? He was late home from school.
A neighbour came out and took the child into her home, and called the police. When the police arrived to take statements they learned that the boy was 9 years old. He said his Mother and Father regularly beat him and his 4 year old sister, sometimes beating her while she is naked.
Apparently the officer said he would take the boy home and “have a word” with his parents. Is this for real? I like to think that for reasons of confidentiality the officer couldn’t reveal what his course of action would be. Or maybe he presumes that people know what the procedure in such a circumstance is, and the expression “have a word” is all encompassing. Maybe any police officers reading could enlighten us as to what would actually happen in such a circumstance?
Anyway, it seems whatever my views of my brother are; there are always people far, far worse, and much less deserving of having the privilege of raising children.
*Does this really happen or was the copper pulling my leg?
**I really need to tackle this problem as his son is nearly 4 weeks old and, I’m ashamed to say, I still haven’t made the effort to see him yet.
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10 comments:
Wow..that is all I can say.
I am sure you remember all the fuss that was created when my eldest ACCUSED my husband of something similar. We are still living in "fear" of the social services and the authorities.
This post did hit a "raw" nerve, for many reasons.
I'm sure it did Aiders.
Unbelieveable though isn't it? There is no question of whether the boy was telling the truth as there were witnesses.
unbelievable!
I can't believe that, and it annoy's me even more that they would take the boy back there in the first place for more punishment. Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime! I don't see it, do you?!
Well TP, I'm still waiting for a comment by any officers reading, and I know some do. There must be a set procedure for this sort of thing.
I had to call social services for one of the children in my class because of abuse. The outcome? The child was left with the parents.
That's awful Catherine. I don't understand how these "services" work sometimes.
There is never going to be a simple answer here. What did the cop do? Take them back for more of the same? After a report that a belt had been used my force would be all over the parents but what did the 'witness' see and more to the point what will the witness tell the police? Will they want to get involved or as is often the case do they expect the police to be able to sort it out without a shred of evidence.
Social Services are extremely keen on not breaking up the family unit and even with the evidence it is extremely difficult to get them to take the child into care or force the father out of the picture if we accept that he is in the picture and not just passing by. So we can all pre judge and stereo type on the scant facts here but I am sure that the 99.9% of cops would do their damn best it is unfortunately that tiny minority that ruin it for the rest of us.
Regards, Robert Peel.
Thank you for your comment Robert, and welcome to my blog.
Firstly I would like to point out that this post was not intended as any kind of attack on the police, but merely a collection of thoughts on who should be deemed worthy of the "right" to raise children.
I agree with you; 99.9% would do their best, after all no one likes to see a child get hurt if it is within their power to do something about it. I was just stunned by what I had heard and I suppose needed some reasurance that "having a word" wasn't to be taken literally.
Also the point you make about social services and the unwillingness of witnesses to get involved - I realise that in so many cases the hands of the police are tied, and I was hoping that someone like yourself would be able to explain what the difficulties in a situation like this would be, so I am grateful for your response.
I am adding these comments on behalf of Inspector Gadget, who was having some difficulties siging in.
"I wanted to post a comment saying that the police who attended the child being assaulted should have immediately referred it to a Police Child Protection unit (which there is at every Divisional Police Station) and if they didn't, then they are unprofessional and should be given a kick up the a**!
Regards IG"
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