多管齊下應對未成年人監護缺位

As early as in 2000， a non-governmental organization called “Women’s World Summit Foundation” designated November 19th as “World against Child Abuse Day” every year to focus on child abuse and child overlook. Until 2010， over 400 organizations in 133 countries and regions have responded to it.

早在2000年時，非政府組織“婦女世界首腦會議基金會”就將每年的 11月19日確定為“世界防止虐待兒童日”，以關注兒童遭受虐待和忽視問題。截止2010年，已有400多個組織在133個國家和地區響應。

For child abuse， the definition in the United States Federal Law reads like this: In general， child abuse and overlook can be divided into four categories. The first is overlook， meaning being indifferent to their disease and hunger. The second is physical hurting. The third is sexual abuse. The fourth is mental abuse， like consistent abuse and excessive punishment. Minors’ protection is a systems engineering， relating to society， family， state and other multiple parties. Although there are cases of parents’ guardianship absence， countries in the world are trying to figure out ways to “maximize minors’ interests”.

In America， the state pays much attention to minors’ custody， and people’s failing to take care of children would lose guardianship. As early as in 1874， New York established the first association for preventing child abuse in United States. The United States Congress passed Child Abuse Prevention and Disposal Act in 1974 and Child Protection Act in 1984. At present， there are a series of legal documents protecting the legitimate rights and interests of minors in America， like Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act， Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act， Adoption and Safe Families Act and 2000 Child Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Act. One thing mentionable is that， there is a specific “compulsive report” system in Preventing Child Abuse Act that， anyone who contact with children， like neighbors， doctors， teachers， health care workers and others should inform related institutions as long as they think there are children suffering family abuse. Those fail to report will pay the fine or get short-term imprisonment. Besides， by explicit order America bans leaving children under the age of 8 alone at home or in a car. If outbreak of fire or accidental injuries happens in such kind of situation， parents may face prosecution or even be arrested.

America not only uses legal system to protect legitimate rights and interests of minors， but also sets up specialized agencies. Nowadays， there are various civil groups in America dealing with child abuse prevention， and almost every state has a “Child Protective Service”， managing child abuse affairs. In addition， there is a program called “Speak up Be Safe” in American schools， the purpose of which is to help minors safeguard their own rights; understand what child abuse is and how to seek for help.

美國聯邦法律如此定義虐待兒童：一般而言，虐待和忽視兒童可分為四類。一是忽視，面對未成年人的疾病和饑餓問題不聞不問。二是身體傷害。三是性虐待。四是情感虐待，如持續辱罵、過度懲罰等。未成年人的保護問題是一項系統工程，涉及到社會、家庭、國家等多方連接體。雖然時常有父母監護缺位現象發生，但世界各國都在想方設法盡量做到“未成年人權益最大化”。

在美國，未成年人的監護權問題受到國家極大的重視，疏于照顧孩子會喪失監護權。早在1874年，紐約就成立了美國第一個防止虐童協會。1974年，美國國會通過了《防止和處置虐童法》。1984年，又通過了《兒童保護法案》。目前，美國有《兒童虐待預防與處理法》(CAPTA)、《收養資助和兒童福利法》(AACWA)、《收養和安全家庭法案》(ASFA)、《2000兒童虐待預防與執行法案》等法律文件保護未成年人合法權益。值得一提的是，美國《防止兒童遭受虐待法案》中有明確的“強制報告”制度，即與孩子接觸的人員，如鄰居、醫生、教師、衛生保健人員等，只要懷疑兒童在家庭中可能遭受暴力就可以報告相關機構。對于知情不報者，會受到罰金或短期監禁。此外，美國明令禁止將8歲以下孩子單獨留在家中或車內。如因將孩子單獨留在家中或車內而發生火災或者意外受傷，父母可能面臨起訴甚至逮捕的可能。

美國不僅從法律制度上保護未成年合法權益，還設立了專門的兒童權益機構。如今，美國防止虐童的民間組織五花八門，幾乎每個州都有一個“兒童保護服務處”，專門處理虐童事務。此外，美國在各個學校間推行“Speak Up Be Safe”項目，這個項目以教育為目的，主要幫助未成年人自我維權，讓未成年人明白什么是虐童以及如何尋求幫助。

Like the United States， Germany also has rules to prohibit leaving children alone at home. Germany has more specific details in minors’ custody. In its laws and regulations， parents’ supervision should vary with each individual according to age， physical condition， personality， mental condition and other elements. Parents are not allowed to beat children nor lock them up; otherwise they would be fined or be sentenced. If their negligence of duty causes physical or mental harm to children， in some serious situation， they would be deprived of guardianship or even be punished by law. Moreover， there are some specialized regulations and rules in Germany to keep children safe， like when travelling by car， children should use safety chairs and fasten seat belts.

For negligent parents， Canadian law would impose heavy fines on them， or strip their guardianship or even ask them to replace their children to go to prison according to the order of severity. At present， Canadian Federal Government and all provincial governments have complete and detailed Law of protection Minors and each province has its own child protect act. In addition， there is specialized institution for minors’ protection in Canada， responsible for assessing and supervising parents’ behavior in performing their guardianship.

New Zealand has specific accusation to contain child abuse. In Article 195 of New Zealand Penal Code， “Those who abuse or allow others abuse children (has not reached the age of 16) under their custody， and bring about physical harms， psychiatric disorders and mental disturbance to children， would be sentenced to no more than five years in the prison.” Besides， its law also says: children under the age of 14 should not be alone but be taken cared by parents or guardians. Otherwise， it would be a violation of laws.

Japan pays much attention to child protection. In 2004， in its Child Abuse Prevention Law， physical abuse， lack of care and mental abuse all belong to abuses. Citizens have the responsibility to report suspected child abuse to children consultant agencies， and the agencies would offer temporary protection to children. In Japanese Civil Law， when parents abuse their guardianship， the court can strip their custody depending on the situation. In addition， for Japan， a country with relatively complete guardian system， every administrative division has child protection centers to receive children abused by parents.

Australia tries its best to maximize children’s interests. The 1975 Family Law Act and Children and Adolescents Act have laid a safety net for minors. Australian laws have detailed rules for parents taking care of children， like children under the age of 12 should not be left alone at home， or parents would face serious legal consequences. It has rules of mandatory reporting obligations for teachers and doctors as well. When children are maltreated， people should inform related departments.

德國和美國一樣，在未成年的監護方面更為細致，也有禁止將未成年人單獨留在家中的規定。德國法律規定，父母對未成年的監管，要按照孩子的年齡、身體、性格和心智等因素來決定，做到因人而異。同時，父母不允許打孩子，也不得關孩子禁閉，違者將會被罰款或者判刑。若因父母失責，而造成孩子身體或心靈傷害的，情節嚴重的父母可能被剝奪監護權，甚至受到法律制裁。此外，為了保護未成年人的安全，德國還制定了一些規章制度保障未成年人的安全，如乘坐汽車，孩子必須使用安全椅，系安全帶等。

對于失職父母，加拿大法律會依據其嚴重程度進行高額罰款，或剝奪監護資格甚至代子女坐牢等處罰。目前，加拿大聯邦政府和各省政府制定出完整而詳細的《未成年人保護法》。同時 ，各省也有自己的兒童保護法。此外，加拿大設立有專門的未成年人保護機構，以對父母監護未成年人的行為進行評估及監督。

新西蘭為遏制虐童專門設立了特定罪名。《新西蘭刑事法典》第195條規定:“虐待自己監護、照顧的未滿十六周歲的未成年人或縱容自己監護、照顧的未滿十六周歲的未成年人受虐待，致使被害人身體受到傷害，精神失常或精神障礙的，判處五年以下監禁。”另外，新西蘭法律也有規定：14歲以下的兒童不能獨處，必須有其父母和監護人的看護，否則就是違法。

日本對未成年人保護問題非常重視。2004年，日本實施的《虐待兒童防止法》規定，身體虐待、疏忽照顧、情感虐待等均屬于虐待行為。且民眾有義務向兒童咨詢所通報兒童疑似受虐情況，必要時咨詢所會為兒童提供臨時保護。同時，日本民法規定，當父母濫用監護權時，法院可視情況，剝奪其撫養權。此外，對于監護制度較為完善的日本而言，日本每一個都、道、府、縣都有兒童保護中心，專門收容被父母虐待的兒童。

澳大利亞全面貫徹兒童利益最大化。《1975年家庭法法案》和《兒童和青少年法案》的頒布實施，為澳大利亞的未成年人鋪設了一張安全網絡。澳大利亞法律對父母看管孩子有詳細的規定，比如說不能將不滿12歲的未成年人獨自留在家中，否則將面臨嚴重的法律后果。此外，澳大利亞也有規定，老師、醫生有強制報告的義務。當孩子遭遇非正常對待時，必須向保護部門報告。

Law on the Protection of Minors and Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency are two special laws for minors’ protection in China. China’s General Principles of the Civil Law for minor custody regulates: “If guardians do not perform their duty or violate legitimate rights and interests of children， other people or units with guardianship qualification could file a lawsuit in a People's Court. Trials of general procedure are for suits asking guardians to bear civil liability; trials of special procedure are for suits asking change guardianship; respective trials are for cases asking for both.” “From May， 2013， on the basis of current homeless juveniles relief and protect mechanism， Ministry of Civil Affairs has started the projects of minors’ social protection pilots in Jiangsu， Henan， Sichuan and other 20 provinces，” said Dou Yupei， Deputy Minister of Ministry of Civil Affairs. In 2014， China plans to make a minor guardianship intervention system in that parents would be deprived of their custody when breaching their duty， which improved the minor guardianship system.

《未成年人保護法》和《預防未成年人犯罪法》是目前中國未成年人保護方面的兩部專門法律。中國《民法通則》對未成年人監護權做了規定:“監護人不履行監護職責，或者侵害了被監護人的合法權益，其他有監護資格的人或者單位向人民法院起訴，要求監護人承擔民事責任的，按照普通程序審理；要求變更監護關系的，按照特別程序審理；既要求承擔民事責任，又要求變更監護關系的，分別審理。”“從2013年5月起，民政部就以現行流浪未成年人救助保護機制為基礎，在江蘇、河南、四川等20個地區啟動了未成年人社會保護試點工作。”中國民政部副部長竇玉沛表示。2014年，中國擬出臺未成年人監護干預制度，父母失職將剝奪監護權，進一步完善了未成年監護制度。