We have laws in every state of the union and in every civilized country on the globe forbidding child abuse, according to broad, generally accepted, definitions. As far as reporting laws are concerned, however, the professional who observes the results of trauma in the child he is examining may consider the trauma abusive or accidental. What he decides will be based on his diagnostic skills, his willingness to be objective about his observations, his commitment to obeying the law, and his commitment to strong moral and ethical principles. An important reason for the increase in number and severity of abuse cases is moral and ethical in nature. In the latter half of this century we have seen a startling decline and deemphasis of character and of common civility toward our fellows.
Critics consider advocacy of character to be a simplistic way to approach complex social problems.
The complexity of the problems, however, may be one of the strongest arguments for emphasizing the need for a politics of personal responsibility. In his dissertation on character and responsibility, Sykes recognizes the complexity and mystery of human behavior. In order to reaffirm the moral order of society and to remind people of what constitutes proper conduct, people need to be treated as if they are personally responsible for their conduct. Health professionals also need to accept personal responsibility for the diagnosis and reporting of abuse cases. The responsibility is not a small one.