Any child abuse help out there?

Question

My 10 yr old son has had bruises left on him several times by his father. His rearend was covered once, his father shook him so hard that he left his handprints on my sons arms for a week, he has grabbed my son so hard behind his ears he left his nail marks, left bruises and scratches on my son during an altercation in which my son refused to be hit anymore and stood up to his father and is consitantly called a p***y, and told to take his punishment like a man. It is worse than that and I could go on for hours, but this is just an overview. I live in Northwest Ohio and Children's Protective Services has found that the bruises are a side effect of corpral punishment gone to far, but won't even make my ex get counseling. Anybody know of help available?

Answer 1

Complain to the State Attorney General.  And the local TV stations and the newspapers.  And the judge who OK'd the custody agreement.  The more noise you make, the bigger fuss you make, the better.  And be sure to take lots of pictures of your son's injuries, or take him to the emergency room of the nearest hospital and let them take the pictures.  Make all the noise you have to until someone listens and takes action.

Answer 2

Call the police or 1-800-4ACHILD

Answer 3

Ohio child abuse laws http://www.fdno.org/laws/abuse.html do give some liberty to the parent(s) for physical corporal punishment. However what you describe sounds from here like a violation of Ohio law code section  2919.22 - 3   The issue is whether this is serious enough to meet the definitions in 2901.01  which it may not be but which you want to prevent it from becoming.  You can read the law at this website.  

You probably need  a family law attorney.   One possibility for finding that affordably is www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/caringhand0.

Make sure your family doctor sees and documents the bruises and other injuries and encourage your son to tell the dr about it and how it makes him feel.  Encourage your son to talk to his counselor, teacher, and principal at school.  Child protection tends to listen to the schools and doctors.   If you go to church ask the minister, priest, or rabbi, to report the abuse too.  Make an appointment for your son with the local mental health dept.  Any child going through this needs to be able to talk with a counselor about how it makes him feel and mental health can :"encourage" child protection to become more active.   Reports from all these agencies will help strengthen the claim that the abuse goes well beyond the physical punishment the law allows.  In our state our state senator has been able to do this also.   That may be worth a call,

If you and the child's father do not live together you may have a legal right to refuse visitation but do not do so w/o legal advice.  Some of that will depend on whether you have full custody and what visitation arrangements may be spelled out.   You may also be able to require that visitation take place in a public place like a McDonalds.   If in any way the abuse to your son can be viewed as a way to control you, threaten you or punish you or lash out at you, please contct the National Domestic Violence Hotline http://ndvh.org 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for help for yourself and your son.   I would probably call them anyway to get info about resources and protection in your local area.    

Take pictures of every injury and have your son and any other witness write down what happened.  Be sure your son knows how to call 911 and that it is OK to call in a real emergency.

I wish I could give you an answer that would bring instant relief for you and your son but it looks like a case of having to work it through and make the system work.  

Answer 4

first of all i'm so sorry about this situation.second if there is any way that you could leave your ex then you definetley should and third i would suggest that you look in the phone book.for counseling you should take him to a physcologist then wait for their suggestions about counseling.it may be something mentally wrong and they could figure out what it is.if something is wrong take him to a rehbilation place until further notice but take care of this now because if you love your son then you would do anything for him and i'm pretty sure you would i wish all the best of luck and hope.i hope i helped even a little.

Answer 5

Yeah, the next time he leaves a mark, call the cops! Once he has a record of child abuse you can get a protective order to make him stay away.  

Answer 6

I'm wondering why you are still there!! If this was my kid I would take him and be gone! If you have domestic violoence center go there...If  you decide enough is enough next time it happens call the police at a

neighbor's house if possible.(Make any excuse and take the kid along--or call from outside if you have a cellphone

It is possilble your husband recieved the same type treatment and might not really see it for what it is,Just please do something before it gets worse.okay. We are praying for you

  ***add I would call the number listed on the post below 4-Achild,even try calling the DA office(since you have documentation)to get some legal course going-unfortunetly(not excusing it) these CPS agency are very overblooked. You may even be able to talk to a domestic shelter in your area-they might have options too.

If your child is showing signs you maybe able to go on side of causing mental anguish too.