Did you know that child abuse wasn’t even recognized, or at least accepted as possible, until the early 1960′s? Children who were victims before that were not believed. They often ran away, only to be sent back to the abusive home.

History of Child Abuse

In America, the first court case of child abuse was in 1874 when a girl, Mary Ellen, was found shackled to her bed, malnourished and beaten. The courts refused to do anything until the ASPCA argued that Mary Ellen was a member of the animal kingdom and therefore had the same rights to protection as dogs and other animals. She won this case and was placed in foster care.

Early Years of Recognized Abuse

Although Mary Ellen was rescued, it was not until the early 1960′s that physical abuse was really taken seriously and prosecuted. It still took quite a bit to get a case to court. Children were killed before the parent was prosecuted. Sexual and emotional abuse took even longer to reach the courts.

Child Abuse Today

In today’s world, in America especially, child abuse is seen differently. Cases of neglect, sexual abuse and even emotional abuse are tried openly. The need for civil attorneys is increasing as more cases are recognized and handled. One of the problems, however, is when you find yourself on the other side with a wrongful accusation. Children have been taken away because of a vindictive spouse or spouse’s family. The state has removed children, causing emotional harm because of wrongful accusations. Some have been convicted for life on false evidence. Good representation is essential when dealing with unfair treatment from the law.