中国存在虐待儿童吗?——对专业人士虐儿观的话语分析

Is There Child Abuse in China?——Professional Discourses on Child Abuse

"虐待儿童"概念是舶来品,在中国的传统文化中似乎没有"虐待儿童"这个说法。同时,"不打不成才""棍棒底下出孝子"的传统思想,影响着中国父母及利益相关者对待儿童的态度,从而影响了中国儿童的福祉。此外,传统"家庭"观念也对公权力介入家庭事务产生排斥。本文采用半结构访谈法,访谈法律工作者、社会工作者和医务工作者,探求专业人士对虐待儿童的看法。研究发现,专业人士的虐儿观受到中国传统文化的影响,同时也受到西方文化的冲击。在全球化及信息化背景下,中国正在形成具有中国传统的虐儿观。由于专业人士对政策的制定和执行起到了关键作用,因此探求专业人士虐儿观有助于具有操作性的儿童保护政策的出台。

"Child abuse"is a concept originated in western country.It seems that this concept did not exist in the Chinese traditional culture.Meanwhile,some traditional saying,such as"spare the rod and spoil the children",has been influencing Chinese parents’as well as stakeholders’attitude toward treating children,thereby impacting child welfare in China.Furthermore,the traditional concept of"family"has also been preventing public power from intervening family affairs.With semi-structured interview as a data collection method employed in this study,multiple interviews have been carried out among lawyers,social workers,and pediatricians.It is found that specialists’views on child abuse are influenced not only by Chinese traditional culture but by Western culture.Under globalization and informatization,the views on child abuse with Chinese tradition is gradually being formed.Since professionals play an important role in policy-making and policy implementation,exploring their views on child abuse will be helpful in formulating workable child protection policies.