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Yeh MJ. Saving unwanted children: a proposal for a National Rearing Institute. THEORETICAL MEDICINE AND BIOETHICS 2023; 44:435-452. [PMID: 37131116 DOI: 10.1007/s11017-023-09621-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Unwanted children are carried, born, and reluctantly raised each year; they are prone to abortion, abandonment, neglect, and abuse. Meanwhile, many developed societies are suffering from depopulation. To address these two issues concurrently, I propose that governments should grant pregnant women and mothers an irreversible and unconditional one-time chance to relinquish all their legal rights and obligations associated with each of their children under a specific age to a National Rearing Institute that adopts the children and rears them to the age when they can fully exercise their rights as adult citizens. I call this set of policy arrangements "Project New Republicans." This project aims to (1) protect and support the best interests of unwanted children, (2) maximize the health outcomes of the mothers who gave birth to these children and help the mothers to achieve self-realization, and (3) preserve an influx to the population from procreation against depopulation. The project is primarily grounded on both the utilitarian and intra- / inter-generational accounts of justice. It also ameliorates the oppression and domination of women by unjust social structures in alignment with the human rights-based approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Jui Yeh
- Institute of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, 17 Xuzhou Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
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Razali S, Jaris NH, Muuti MZ, Abdullah NC. Child Homicide Amounting to Murder in Malaysia: Descriptive Analysis of the Statistics and Causes. Front Psychol 2022; 13:854539. [PMID: 35910969 PMCID: PMC9330596 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.854539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To describe the child homicide rates and examine the circumstances of homicides of children in Malaysia from January 2010 to June 2021. Methods This is a retrospective secondary analysis of police records on child homicides in Malaysia. Background demographic characteristics of victims, suspected offenders, motives of homicide, and rates of child homicide in Malaysia were analyzed descriptively. Results Three hundred thirty-two child homicide cases involving 349 children aged 18 years old and below by 458 suspected offenders were described. The Malaysian rates of child homicide from 2010 to 2018 fluctuated between 0.28 and 0.37 per 100,000 population of children aged 18 and below. The rates show decreasing trend to 0.19 and 0.17 per 100,000 population of children aged 18 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Most of the victims were Malay and Indians, boys, aged 0–5 years old and 16–18 years old. Offenders were likely to be someone known to the victims, including parents, stepparents, and friends, and have unstable incomes. The main possible motives of homicide are jealousy and revenge, child abuse, and feeling distress. Conclusion The rates of child homicide in Malaysia are lower compared to other countries and show decreasing trend during this COVID-19 pandemic. These findings perhaps are underestimated and should be cautiously interpreted. Nevertheless, the results should inform immediate intervention to target the at-risk groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salmi Razali
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and ForensicMedicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
| | - Nor Hidayah Jaris
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
- *Correspondence: Nor Hidayah Jaris,
| | - Muhamad Zaid Muuti
- Department of Ethics and Medical Law, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Malaysia
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Hazariah AHS, Fallon D, Callery P. An Overview of Adolescents Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Provision in Malaysia. Compr Child Adolesc Nurs 2020; 44:144-160. [PMID: 32442024 DOI: 10.1080/24694193.2020.1756983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Safer sex provision, including contraception information and services, should be made available to adolescents regardless of their marital status in strategies to reduce the incidence of unintended teenage pregnancies and the spread of STIs. In Malaysia, this information is still not being delivered formally to adolescents even though unintended teenage pregnancies and the practice of "baby dumping" are serious public health issues. The aims of this article are to describe the Malaysian context in terms of the need for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and treatment for unmarried adolescents. The article presents the key aspects of Malaysian society and the potential influence on the provision and delivery of sexual and reproductive health information and treatment to unmarried Malaysian adolescents that can be a reference for healthcare professionals especially school health nurses. The article also describes the establishment of sheltered homes, baby hatches and unregulated adoption processes as the initiatives being taken to address the issue of unintended teenage pregnancies. This article suggests that the policy and laws that require parental consent for accessing the services need to be reviewed and revised to ensure that specific services are available to adolescents in a safe environment that maintains confidentiality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Debbie Fallon
- Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Works, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Peter Callery
- Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Works, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Baek SU, Lim SS, Kim J, Yoon JH. How Does Economic Inequality Affect Infanticide Rates? An Analysis of 15 Years of Death Records and Representative Economic Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16193679. [PMID: 31574941 PMCID: PMC6801423 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16193679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Background: Is there a relationship between economic inequality and infanticide rates? Few studies have examined the socioeconomic factors that trigger infanticide. This study aims to statistically analyze the effect of these factors on infanticide rates. Methods: This study used infant death records in South Korea from 2003 to 2017 to assess the impact of unemployment rates and various statistical indicators (e.g., GDP and income inequality index) on the rate of infanticide. A generalized additive model and a quasi-Poisson regression were used for statistical analyses. Results: A time-trend analysis shows that the infanticide rate tended to grow despite a decreasing trend in the quarterly infant mortality rate. A 1% increase in the unemployment rate is associated with a significant rise in the relative risk of infanticide after a lag of two quarters. Relative risks increased significantly three and four quarters after a 0.1 rise in the p80/p20 ratio (income inequality index). Conclusions: Policymakers should pay attention to socioeconomic factors while formulating healthcare regulations to protect potential infanticide victims, including vulnerable infants and their parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong-Uk Baek
- College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea.
| | - Sung-Shil Lim
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
| | - Jihyun Kim
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
| | - Jin-Ha Yoon
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea.
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Ben Khelil M, Boukthir I, Hmandi O, Zhioua M, Hamdoun M. Trends of infanticides in northern Tunisia: A 40 years study (1977-2016). CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2019; 95:104047. [PMID: 31288130 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Tunisian Penal Code defines infanticide as the murder committed by the mother on her child at birth or immediately after. There is a dearth of studies and official statistics on infanticide in the Arab region and North Africa. OBJECTIVE to analyze the infanticide trends in northern Tunisia between 1977 and 2016. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING we included all cases of infanticides autopsied at the Legal Medicine Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital in Tunis, over a period of 40 years (1977-2016). METHODS A descriptive retrospective study. RESULTS We collected a total of 513 cases of infanticide over the study period. The general prevalence of infanticide was 0.42 per 100,000 live births per year. Infanticide often occurred during the week, in winter (31.5%) and in spring (30.9%). The newborn was often found on public roads (40.9%) and in urban areas (81.4%). The newborn was often full-term (73.6%), mature, without any congenital malformation, found completely naked (75.2%) and with an empty stomach (93.7%). The umbilical cord was often cut (71.5%), not ligated (82%) with an irregular edge (64%). There was often no putrefaction (54.4%). The hydrostatic test (81.8%) and histological examination (81.1%) showed that infants had breathed. Neglect was the most common cause of death (49.9%). CONCLUSION Northern Tunisia has a low prevalence of infanticide compared to most of the previous European and American studies. A better understanding of infanticide would allow us to adapt measures of prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Ben Khelil
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
| | - Ilhem Boukthir
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ons Hmandi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mongi Zhioua
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Moncef Hamdoun
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
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"Nobody came to help": interviews with women convicted of filicide in Malaysia. Arch Womens Ment Health 2019; 22:151-158. [PMID: 29569042 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-018-0832-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Although filicide is of serious concern, it is poorly understood in Malaysia. Our interviews with health and policy professionals revealed that they attribute responsibility for filicide to women's failure to comply with social norms and religious teachings. This research sought to understand the meaning of and background to filicide from the perspectives of women who have been convicted of filicide in Malaysia. In-depth interviews were conducted in person with all eligible and consenting women convicted of filicide and incarcerated in prisons or forensic psychiatric institutions. Women's accounts were translated into English and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and interpreted using narrative theory. Interviews with nine women convicted of filicide yielded evidence that others were implicated in the crime but punished less severely, if at all, and that the women had experienced lifelong gender-based violence and marginalisation with minimal access to health and social care. These findings illuminate an inadequately understood phenomenon in Malaysia and reveal why existing strategies to reduce filicide, which reflect key stakeholders' views, have had little impact. They reveal the pervasive harm of violence against women and children and its link to filicide.
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Li F, Lu X. Infant deaths in Pudong, Shanghai, China: A retrospective study of the police data and comparison with the centre for disease control data. J Forensic Leg Med 2019; 62:7-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2018.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Revised: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Sherr L, Roberts KJ, Croome N. Emotional distress, resilience and adaptability: a qualitative study of adults who experienced infant abandonment. Health Psychol Behav Med 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/21642850.2017.1297238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lorraine Sherr
- Research Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kathryn J. Roberts
- Research Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Natasha Croome
- Department of Health Service and Population Research, King's College London, London, UK
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Abrahams N, Mathews S, Martin LJ, Lombard C, Nannan N, Jewkes R. Gender Differences in Homicide of Neonates, Infants, and Children under 5 y in South Africa: Results from the Cross-Sectional 2009 National Child Homicide Study. PLoS Med 2016; 13:e1002003. [PMID: 27115771 PMCID: PMC4846035 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Homicide of children is a global problem. The under-5-y age group is the second largest homicide age group after 15-19 y olds, but has received little research attention. Understanding age and gender patterns is important for assisting with developing prevention interventions. Here we present an age and gender analysis of homicides among children under 5 y in South Africa from a national study that included a focus on neonaticide and infanticide. METHODS AND FINDINGS A retrospective national cross-sectional study was conducted using a random sample of 38 medico-legal laboratories operating in 2009 to identify homicides of children under 5 y. Child data were abstracted from the mortuary files and autopsy reports, and both child and perpetrator data data were collected from police interviews. We erred towards applying a conservative definition of homicide and excluded sudden infant death syndrome cases. We estimated that 454 (95% CI 366, 541) children under the age of 5 y were killed in South Africa in 2009. More than half (53.2%; 95% CI 46.7%, 59.5%) were neonates (0-28 d), and 74.4% (95% CI 69.3%, 78.9%) were infants (under 1 y), giving a neonaticide rate of 19.6 per 100,000 live births and an infanticide rate of 28.4 per 100,000 live births. The majority of the neonates died in the early neonatal period (0-6 d), and abandonment accounted for 84.9% (95% CI 81.5%, 87.8%) of all the neonates killed. Distinct age and gender patterns were found, with significantly fewer boy children killed in rural settings compared to urban settings (odds ratio 0.6; 95% CI 0.4, 0.9; p = 0.015). Abuse-related killings and evidence of sexual assault were more common among older girls than in all other age and gender groups. Mothers were identified as the perpetrators in all of the neonaticides and were the most common perpetrators overall (71.0%; 95% CI 63.9%, 77.2%). Abandoned neonates were mainly term babies, with a mean gestational age of 38 wk. We did not have information on abandonment motives for all newborns and did not know if babies were abandoned with the intention that they would die or with the hope that they would be found alive. We therefore considered all abandoned babies as homicides. CONCLUSIONS Homicide of children is an extreme form or consequence of violence against children. This national study provides one of the first analyses of neonaticide and infanticide by age and gender and shows the failure of reproductive and mental health and social services to identify and help vulnerable mothers. Multi-sectoral prevention strategies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naeemah Abrahams
- Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Shanaaz Mathews
- Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lorna J. Martin
- Forensic Pathology Services, Western Cape Government, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Carl Lombard
- Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nadine Nannan
- Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rachel Jewkes
- Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
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