In response to your article of April 14, 2001 re: "Psychological and Emotional Abuse"

Utah's child "abuse" statistics for 1999 (the most current year available) show that 70.2% of children in state custody are not there for any reasons of physical abuse. This newspaper reported: "Of the state's 8,660 abuse victims, 41.4 percent were subjected to psychological abuse.... 28.8 percent were neglected."

In other words, in 1999 more than 6,050 children in your state were traumatized and tortured by being torn from their natural families when they were not in any danger of being physically harmed. I find that totally unacceptable. Families with real neglect issues can be helped without the children being removed and damaged by that separation. Battered women should be helped to get safe housing without having to lose their children in the process.

American lawmakers are following a pattern of propaganda and ignorance, trying to make the public think there's much more "abuse" happening than there really is. They think following this unholy pattern of family destruction will get them their next vote.

To the lawmakers: Child "abuse" prevention has gone way beyond the bounds of moderation. Children are removed from their homes because they "might be" at some miniscule risk. This is not acceptable, and more people are becoming aware of it as the months pass. Won't you please have a backbone and show that you will not continue this family wrecking government industry? Child-welfare agencies are superfluous and their powers should be cut way back. They cause more harm to children than they can possibly help. Children are provably 8 to 10 times more at risk of abuse in state care. That's a fact.

The children of the poor are not there to be given to the rich. Real child abuse and neglect is a crime -- let the police investigate it. Child-welfare agencies that specialize in the destruction of families are not needed.

Thank you for your consideration of this widespread American problem.

Linda Martin

Publication status - unknown.