Moral Obligation To Report Abuse?

[Roamin Catholic]

Everything that has been going on in the phorum has me thinking (scary!) 

 

If someone tells us of abuse that is happening to them/might still be happening. Or if we discover the abuse are we under a moral obligation to report the abuse to the proper authorities? 

 

 

 

I'm not only talking about minors; I'm also speaking of the disabled and elderly. 

 

 

[Roamin Catholic]

As Catholic's we speak about being a voice for the voiceless. So I lean towards saying that we are under a moral obligation to report the abuse.

[franciscanheart]

We absolutely have an obligation. 100%, no question about it. We do.

[homeschoolmom]

I think we have a moral obligation to seek an end to the abuse.

[franciscanheart]

I think we have a moral obligation to seek an end to the abuse.

That's vague. So is that a "yes, we should notify proper authorities" or does that mean "we should pray it stops"? Something in-between?

[EmilyAnn]

I agree we have a moral obligation to see that it is reported, but I would say we should encourage the person to report it themselves before we take it upon ourselves to do so.

[Roamin Catholic]

I agree we have a moral obligation to see that it is reported, but I would say we should encourage the person to report it themselves before we take it upon ourselves to do so.

 

 

Lets say we are under a suspicion that the abuse is ongoing. What would be a proper time frame? 

 

In my mind, I give someone 24 hours and then I'm doing everything I can to get them out. Be it Minor, elderly, or disabled. 

[EmilyAnn]

Lets say we are under a suspicion that the abuse is ongoing. What would be a proper time frame? 

 

In my mind, I give someone 24 hours and then I'm doing everything I can to get them out. Be it Minor, elderly, or disabled. 

If it is ongoing, then I would agree with you. I would also do everything I could to support them with reporting it themselves. 

[franciscanheart]

I agree we have a moral obligation to see that it is reported, but I would say we should encourage the person to report it themselves before we take it upon ourselves to do so.

If this person comes to you and says the abuse has happened for years, do you wait? If so, how long? It's my strong opinion that you do not wait.
 

If it is ongoing, then I would agree with you. I would also do everything I could to support them with reporting it themselves.

Again, how long do you wait for them to report it before you step up and say something? Does it make a difference if it's an elderly or youth?

Do not you think that person going to you IS them reporting it? Don't you think they come to you for HELP? What is help if not allowing someone with the ability to create change to step in and do that?

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

Something was going on with a friend of mine, and had been for some time, and I really wanted her to be the one to talk to the appropriate people. I did not want to have to do it for her. I ended up giving her an ultimatum and she finally got the courage to speak up. I told her I had a moral obligation (and so did she) to tell of these incidents, not only for her, but for potential future victims. She finally got the courage to say something, and thank goodness I didn't have to do it for her, because it was coming down to that.

 

I completely believe that there is a moral obligation not only for the sake of the victim in question, but also for the safety of others (and sometimes even yourself).

[Aloysius]

I think if it was someone I knew closely and that person told me that they wanted to report it themself  I'd probably say something like "okay, you do it on your terms sometime this week, but if you don't I will report it for you", giving a deadline/ultimatum is essential if you're going to give them time, because I get was franciscan's saying, basically "allowing them to report it themselves" can easily turn into being complicit in their shame and silence that causes it not to get reported at all; but I'd only give them that time if I didn't believe they'd be in immediate danger of the abuse repeating during it.

 

if it was not someone I knew too closely, or if I thought the abuse was still an immediate danger, or if I really didn't think that the person was going to report it themself, I'd contact the authorities immediately.  you absolutely have a moral obligation to help someone in that way, I think.  to do any less is to be a part of pressuring them into silence, I think, and especially if the abuse is continuous and remains an immediate danger to them, not speaking up and alerting the authorities is a failure to protect someone in need I think.

[franciscanheart]

I think if it was someone I knew closely and that person told me that they wanted to report it themself  I'd probably say something like "okay, you do it on your terms sometime this week, but if you don't I will report it for you", giving a deadline/ultimatum is essential if you're going to give them time, because I get was franciscan's saying, basically "allowing them to report it themselves" can easily turn into being complicit in their shame and silence that causes it not to get reported at all; but I'd only give them that time if I didn't believe they'd be in immediate danger of the abuse repeating during it.
 
if it was not someone I knew too closely, or if I thought the abuse was still an immediate danger, or if I really didn't think that the person was going to report it themself, I'd contact the authorities immediately.  you absolutely have a moral obligation to help someone in that way, I think.  to do any less is to be a part of pressuring them into silence, I think, and especially if the abuse is continuous and remains an immediate danger to them, not speaking up and alerting the authorities is a failure to protect someone in need I think.

This. Absolutely.

[EmilyAnn]

If this person comes to you and says the abuse has happened for years, do you wait? If so, how long? It's my strong opinion that you do not wait.
 Again, how long do you wait for them to report it before you step up and say something? Does it make a difference if it's an elderly or youth?

Do not you think that person going to you IS them reporting it? Don't you think they come to you for HELP? What is help if not allowing someone with the ability to create change to step in and do that?

What Alyosius said.

[homeschoolmom]

I agree we have a moral obligation to see that it is reported, but I would say we should encourage the person to report it themselves before we take it upon ourselves to do so.

This is more along the lines of my thinking.

[franciscanheart]

Even a young person? A young person comes to you and says, "I've been raped." You sit on it and encourage THEM to have to say it AGAIN to someone who can actually HELP? Seriously?

:ohno: Society is broken.

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

Even a young person? A young person comes to you and says, "I've been raped." You sit on it and encourage THEM to have to say it AGAIN to someone who can actually HELP? Seriously?

:ohno: Society is broken.

 

Exactly. :/
 

[homeschoolmom]

Even a young person? A young person comes to you and says, "I've been raped." You sit on it and encourage THEM to have to say it AGAIN to someone who can actually HELP? Seriously?

:ohno: Society is broken.

Oh goodness no. I would finish out talk and call the authorities.

 

 

[EmilyAnn]

Even a young person? A young person comes to you and says, "I've been raped." You sit on it and encourage THEM to have to say it AGAIN to someone who can actually HELP? Seriously?

:ohno: Society is broken.

They will have to say it if you report it anyway. Isn't it kinder to give them a chance to do it themselves, but of course be there for them as well? 

My opinion is very coloured by my own experiences. 

Edited March 26, 2013 by EmilyAnn

[franciscanheart]

They will have to say it if you report it anyway. Isn't it kinder to give them a chance to do it themselves, but of course be there for them as well? 

My opinion is very coloured by my own experiences.

So again I'll throw the question back at you: how long is considered "kind" to give them a chance to report it themselves? How long do you wait once a young person has said "I was raped" to allow them to feel strength enough to go to authorities?

[Apotheoun]

We absolutely have an obligation. 100%, no question about it. We do.

I agree. Moreover, based upon a person's profession he may also be legally required to report abuse.