Closed petition Do NOT change the definition of Child Emotional Abuse

Closed on 10 July 2013

The Coalition Government is regressing 20 years in their definition and threshold for Child Emotional Abuse. Ignoring the previous comprehensive guidance and reinstating an ambiguous interpretation will no doubt see children “at risk” slip through the net.
It will fail to account for
Preventing children to feel worthy
Preventing the child participating in normal social interaction
Seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another
Serious bullying (including cyber-bullying)
Exploitation or corruption of children

Without guidance around a child’s self worth, the effects that domestic abuse has on a child, isolation and slavery, the Coalition Government is taking away children’s rights to support and safety. For children where emotional abuse does “occur alone” the threshold appears too hazy for any child to receive the protection they deserve.

We, the undersigned, ask the Coalition Government to review the definition and threshold for Emotional Abuse.