alt Hacker NewsDeterrent can be an effective form of rehab.
A former coworker of mine walks funny because he had polio as a child, and his father worked for the railway union after WWII. He told me one day in high school, one of his friends came to school with bruises couldn’t hide, inflicted by his drunk father. Everyone in school knew, everyone in town knew, but no one did anything.
My coworker informed his dad, about the egregious injuries that day. His dad drove to the drunk man’s house and knocked on the door and seized the drunk man by the collar: “if you ever touch that boy again, I’ll kill you.”
The threat must have been believable coming from a rail union worker, because it rehabilitated the recipient’s decision making processes going forward.
Replies
> He told me one day in high school, one of his friends came to school with bruises couldn’t hide, inflicted by his drunk father.
Sorry, you're telling this story as a way of supporting beating kids...?
> My coworker informed his dad, about the egregious injuries that day. His dad drove to the drunk man’s house and knocked on the door and seized the drunk man by the collar: “if you ever touch that boy again, I’ll kill you.”
Yeah that wouldn’t fly nowadays. Your friend’s father would be hot with a slew of charges from “terroristic threats” to “meanacing”
And today the drunk father would lose the responsibility for his child which is a better and non violent answer.