Sunday, January 18, 2015

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Part 1: Definition



According to Nevada Revised Statues (NRS 200.508), child abuse is defined as “willfully causing a child who is less than 18 years of age to suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering as a result of abuse or neglect, or to be placed in a situation where the child may suffer physical pain and mental suffering as the result of abuse or neglect”
Let us discuss the clauses in the definition individually for you to understand child abuse in Las Vegas better.

·         “Willfully” causing a child who is under 18 years old to suffer.

Child abuse is done with “intent”. If there is no intent, (e.g. if the person is declared insane) it cannot be classified as child abuse. A person is considered a child if his or her age is below 18 years old.

·         Suffer “unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering”

Examples of unjustifiable physical pain include the following:
o   Hitting
o   Punching
o   Kicking
o   Hair pulling
o   Burning
o   Slapping
Actions that are considered to cause unjustifiable mental suffering are those that can cause long-term damage to a child’s self-esteem. Here are some examples:
o   Ridiculing
o   Humiliating
o   Threats
o   Intimidation
o   Yelling

·         As a result of “Abuse” or “Neglect”.

Abuse is the intentional causing of physical and emotional pain, examples are listed above. Neglect is the failure to perform his or her legal duties to the child/ren – such as the duties of a parent, caretaker, babysitter, nurse, etc. Some examples of neglect are:
o   Unintentionally starving the child.
o   Failure to provide appropriate medical care.
o   Failure to provide the right clothes for the current weather.
o   Not providing emotional support, making the child feel that he or she is not part of the family.

·         Placed in a situation where the child may suffer physically and mentally. This also called “criminal endangerment”.

o   Leaving the child in a dangerous place. (i.e. roadside, near dangerous stuffs that the child can reach)
o   Leaving the child inside a running car.
o   Reckless driving (if the child is also in the vehicle).
o   Unintentionally pushing the child onto a ledge.

Are you charged with Domestic Violence by Child Abuse?

rossgoodman

If you are charged with child neglect, child endangerment or any kind of Domestic Violence by Child Abuse, consult a top-notch domestic abuse lawyer in Las Vegas like Ross C. Goodman. He has represented hundreds of Domestic Violence Cases that ended up with amazing results. Contact his office for more information. His legal consultations are free of charge.

Attorney Ross Goodman
520 S 4th St,
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: (702) 383 – 5088
Fax: (702) 385 – 5088