Why is child abuse not as severely punished as other crimes?

1. We think that families know best (even abusive families).
2. Regardless of background, privilege, or culture, anyone can participate in child abuse.
3. Children don’t have their rights respected in general. It’s a hit-or-miss affair based on whether or not caregivers care to change or eliminate abusive practices.
4. Children are assumed to be innately obstinate, difficult, manipulative, and deceitful instead of vulnerable and inexperienced.
5. You can get a substantial percentage of adults to promote a certain level of abuse as “healthy” and “appropriate.”
6. It’s simply easier (physically, emotionally, and socially) to get away with abusing children rather than adults.
7. We think keeping kids ignorant is cute rather than setting them up to be taken advantage of by semi-skilled abusers.
8. Plenty of people consider children to be the property of their parents or their culture and not fully human.
9. Children aren’t believed when they report abuse.
10. The abusers of children are often in the very institutions and organizations that are supposed to care for them.