Wisconsin state Senator Glenn Grothman,R-West Bend, has declared that unplanned and nonmarital pregnancies are chosen by women, who must be taught that such untimely childbearing is a mistake. This view is similar to the recently introduced Senate Bill 507, which labels single mothers as a cause of child abuse. The bill asks the government to brainwash the nation into believing the only correct parenting method consists of a married couple, excluding same-sex partners. Grothman continues to support the obvious attack on nonmarital childrearing, even though he is fully aware that 31 percent of Wisconsin children live in single-parent homes. He even admitted that his message is “politically incorrect” at a public hearing about the bill.
His proposition has drawn attention across the nation, as the topic applies to more than just Wisconsin moms. Of all American children born in 2011, 41 percent were born to single-parent homes. Because of this, indignant parents everywhere are questioning the legitimacy of the allegations made in the bill. Grothman’s proposition claims that statewide projects should emphasize the “role of fathers in the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect,” blatantly belittling the role of the mother in promoting a safe and healthy environment. In the absence of any comments on the importance of mothers in prevention of child abuse and neglect, the suggestion that mothers are primarily responsible for such maltreatment is apparent and disgusting.
With regard to the sheer number of documented child abuse and neglect cases, women may seem to take the lead, but it is also important to consider the presence of male caregivers in American households. It is far more common for a woman to be responsible for the care of children, therefore it follows that women would more commonly be responsible for abuse.
Furthermore, other factors which contribute to child abuse are conveniently ignored, like the fact that families with four or more children have the highest maltreatment incidence rates of all family types, and females are more likely to be abused or maltreated than males.
Does this mean the government should limit the number of children per household or endorse campaigns degrading large families under the guise of protecting youths? Should it create programs which expose only the dangers of abuse to females? Of course not, because the factors which result in abuse are many and varying, and cannot be attacked with unilateral methods.
Many kinds of homes exist, representing many cultures and beliefs. No single factor can be blamed as the primary cause of abuse when there are so many different influences on a child’s home life. Things like disabilities, mental disorders, and job loss can completely outweigh the statistics; if a parent suffers from these, even if they are married, they are more likely to abuse their child. Unhappy marriages can similarly increase the risks, while parents leaving such marriages can actually improve their relationship with their children, contrary to Grothman’s belief that single parenting equates to abuse.
Abuse and maltreatment have been consistently decreasing over the years without unjust generalizations and radical methods. With a changing society, lawmakers like Grothman cannot rely on the values of the past to dictate the policies of today and of the future. Single parents are more than common in today’s world, and it should be understood that diversity is something to be accepted, not stamped out by closed-minded politicians.
Kate is a freshman majoring in English. Tell us what you think about Senator Glenn Grothman’s proposition by sending all letters and feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
