MEDIA STATEMENT FROM THE BC ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS

The BC Association of Social Workers adds its voice to the national storm of protest swirling around Judge Donald Halikowski's sentencing of a couple who kept their two children locked, caged, beaten and humiliated over a 13 year period. The Judge's July 5th sentence of 9 months for the crimes of assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and failure to provide the necessities of life is grossly inadequate, notes BCASW spokesperson Paul Jenkinson. As a Child Protection Social Worker I am left to wonder what value the Judge places on the lives and experiences of children. This sentence provides no general deterrence to parents who choose to abuse and humiliate their children and provides no hope for abused children seeking justice.

These children were caged, tied to their bed, handcuffed and beaten with implements, deprived of water such that thirst drove them to drink their own urine, and compelled to eat their feces for fear of punishment, yet the perpetrators of these crimes will be free in the community within 4 to 6 months.

It is not common practice for the BCASW to question the ruling of a member of the judiciary but the sentence and the Judges rationale in this case require a Social Work response. Judge Halikowski considered the parents to have good intentions underscoring their punishments. What type of good intention leads to years of caging children? Further, Judge Halikowski says that the abusing parents lacked intent and had no joy in any of these acts, only frustration. The Judge implies that parental frustration mitigates 13.5 years of physical and mental abuse. The parents clearly had enough intent that they were able to build cages, hang implements of abuse nearby and inflict physical and mental torture upon the boys for a period of 4927 days. Finally, BCASW takes exception with the Judges suggestion that the abuse was meant to train the young boysnoting that the public has rejected the right of parents to train children using abusive methods.

The sentence does not denounce or acknowledge the seriousness of harm against these children, fails to reflect community standards and is especially out of step with the Canadian publics revulsion around incidents of child abuse.

Contact Information

Paul Jenkinson, MSW, Chairperson

BCASW Child Welfare and Family Committee

604 850 5669 / 604 870 5867

or

Linda Korbin, MSW, RSW

Executive Director, BC Association of Social Workers

604 730 9111/ 1 800 665 4747