12 Year Old Girl Gives Birth

It was reported today that a 12 year old girl gave birth to a baby boy in the article 12 Year Old Girl Gives Birth courtesy of The Age, 26 January 2010. The baby's father is a 15 year old boy. The article stated that these two "children" had been sleeping together in the 12 year old's mothers' home.

Many people have been very quick to blame someone; for example the Government, DOCS, the parents, and so on. Pointing the finger of blame at whoever is a useless exercise. The damage has already been done and a solution needs to be found. It is true that no-one could have stopped these two children from having sex; they would have found a way. So the responsibility for engaging in a sexual relationship and subsequently becoming pregnant lie with these two children. However, because this boy and girl are 15 and 12 respectively, they are too young to be given total responsibility for what has happened. Someone needs to stand up and make a decision, beginning with what is in the best interests for the baby.

This young girl is 12 years old and according to her father; has no maternal instincts and is not fit to be a mother. The baby is the innocent victim in all of this; and there can be no doubt that this child will most likely suffer in the long run. Instead of everyone blaming each other and making stupid excuses, the authorities need to step in and make a decision.

Firstly; this innocent child should be put up for adoption; at the very least this child deserves parents that will want it and love it. This child needs two loving, stable, financially secure parents who will always put the child first. This child had no say in being born and it's a tragedy that how his life will be affected is not the first priority. All the concern is being directed at this baby's mother at the moment. DOCS are fearful that she will have trouble coping. That's a given. She will not cope; and that baby will suffer.

Secondly; the police need to arrest this young man. Having sexual relations with a 12 year old is rape and assult. Why has this young man not been charged? He needs to be accountable for his actions. If he cared anything about this girl he would have considered her welfare and the inevitable consequences having sex might bring. Does a 12 year old simply consent to sex without some encouragement? Perhaps, but he should have known better. He may only be 15 and a kid himself; but he is three years older than his girlfriend and he should have been the responsible person in this situation.

Thirdly; what are kids being taught at school these days in regard to sex education. It would seem that they are told too much. Open communication at school regarding sex seems to be the norm; there is no such thing as a need to know attitude anymore. Recently it was reported that some schools were giving student condoms; that is just an open invitation to go and have sex. The attitude is be free, be liberated and do your best to be safe. The problem with this way of thinking is condoms are not a failsafe method of birth control or protection against disease. However, it would seem that it is all about the child's rights, not about what is right or wrong.

Last, but not least; this may not have happened at all if someone had taught this 12 year old child morals, values, self respect and common decency. Unfortunately kids model what they see and she obviously has not seen the right examples from her caregivers. Her father tried to intervene, he contacted DOCS; sadly they did nothing. He should have tried harder; he should have called the police and had his daughter's boyfriend arrested. At least he tried. Many parents will move heaven and earth to protect their kids. This young child possibly felt like she was not worth the trouble; perhaps that's why she had sex. It is totally possible that she used sex with this boy to validate herself. Children whose families break up will quite often feel as though they are not good enough because their parents did not stick it out and stay together for the sake of their kids.

Something has got to give, or we are heading into a society full of children trying to be parents and Government Agencies supporting these parents, courtesy of the tax payer. There are thousands of couples waiting to adopt babies. Couples who cannot have children and would give anything to have a child. That is where this baby should go. Children cannot do the job of raising children, they still need to grow themselves. This child needs to go to school and get an education, she should be making friends and going on dates and leading the life of a normal teenager. Having a baby come later when she is a stable adult and is married to a loving, caring and stable partner.



Source:

The Age newspaper



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Janelle Coulton, Copyright 2010