SC：如果管教儿童导致损害他们的尊严，则被视为虐待儿童

最高法院在去年的一项裁决中称，如果管教儿童导致损害其尊严，则视为虐待儿童，但该裁决直到 1 月 9 日才颁布。

The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that disciplining children in a manner that harms their dignity is considered child abuse, based on a decision made last year and promulgated on 9 January.

最高法院 (SC) 根据去年做出并于 1 月 9 日颁布的一项决定，裁定以损害儿童尊严的方式管教儿童被视为虐待儿童。

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez and dated 22 July 2024, the SC’s Second Division upheld the conviction of a father for child abuse after he subjected his 12-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son to violent and excessive discipline.

在副法官乔塞普·Y·洛佩兹 (Jhosep Y. Lopez) 于 2024 年 7 月 22 日撰写的一项裁决中，最高法院第二分庭维持了一名父亲虐待儿童的定罪，因为他对 12 岁的女儿和 10 岁的儿子施以暴力和虐待。过度的纪律。

Court records showed that the father from 2017 to 2018 beat his children, kicking his daughter, pulling her hair, striking her with a wooden rod with a nail, hitting them with a dustpan, and cursing at them repeatedly.

法庭记录显示，这名父亲在2017年至2018年期间殴打了他的孩子，踢女儿、拉扯她的头发、用带钉子的木棍打她、用簸箕打她们，并多次咒骂她们。

He claimed these actions were meant to discipline his children for misbehavior, such as failing to eat lunch and losing money from their coin banks.

他声称这些行为是为了惩罚他的孩子们的不当行为，例如不吃午餐和从硬币银行里丢钱。

The father was found guilty by a Regional Trial Court (RTC) and the Court of Appeals (CA) for violating Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

地区初审法院 (RTC) 和上诉法院 (CA) 判定这名父亲有罪，罪名是违反《共和国法 7610》，即《特别保护儿童免遭虐待、剥削和歧视法》。

Under Section 3(b) of RA 7610, any act that debases, degrades, or demeans a child’s dignity is considered child abuse.

根据 RA 7610 第 3(b) 条，任何贬低、贬低或贬低儿童尊严的行为均被视为虐待儿童。

The father appealed to the SC, arguing that he had no intention of harming his children’s dignity.

这位父亲向最高法院提出上诉，称他无意伤害孩子们的尊严。

However, the SC ruled that his actions went beyond reasonable discipline, showing a clear intent to harm the children’s dignity.

然而，最高委员会裁定，他的行为超出了合理纪律，表现出明显损害儿童尊严的意图。

While parents have the right to discipline their children, such measures must not be violent, excessive, or disproportionate to their misbehavior, the SC said.

标准委员会表示，虽然父母有权管教孩子，但此类措施不得暴力、过度或与孩子的不当行为不相称。

It noted that without this specific intent, the offender cannot be held liable for child abuse but can be charged with other crimes under the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

它指出，如果没有这种具体意图，犯罪者不能承担虐待儿童的责任，但可以根据修订后的刑法典（RPC）被指控犯有其他罪行。

The father was sentenced to four to six years in prison and fined P45,000. He was also ordered to pay his children P180,000 in damages.

父亲被判处四到六年监禁，并罚款 P45,000。他还被勒令向他的孩子们支付 180,000 比索的损害赔偿金。

The court reiterated that disciplining children, if it results in physical injuries, does not automatically amount to child abuse.

法院重申，管教儿童如果导致身体伤害，并不自动构成虐待儿童。

For such acts to be considered abuse, there must be a clear intent to harm a child’s dignity, it explained.

它解释说，要使此类行为被视为虐待，必须有明确的损害儿童尊严的意图。