Child Psychological Abuse, Public Health and Social Justice: The Cinderella Law Debate

Abstract

This chapter aims to answer two questions: first, whether intra-family psychological – or emotional – abuse of children fulfils the criteria to be considered a question of social justice, and second, if it entails an issue of public (mental) health per se in light of the recent debate on the British Cinderella Law project. In order to answer these questions, I will firstly focus on the current debate, pointing out how psychological abuse has generally only been tackled if it co-occurs with other types of maltreatment or if it is the consequence of those other types. Secondly, I will try to shed light on the different attitudes towards mental and physical health and, in turn, towards physical and emotional abuse, also in relation to parental duties. Thirdly, I will explore the open questions on the nature of emotional abuse that could help to understand the disagreements and to analyze whether it is a corrosive disadvantage to children in terms of health and justice. In my conclusion I will finally advocate for the need of specific legal recognition of emotional abuse as a threat to children’s health and well-being and, as such, as a question of public health and social justice that should receive much more attention.