Infanticide
Infanticide
MEANING:
Infanticide is a word that comes from the Latin language, in-fans, meaning unable to speak, which it is commonly used as a more formal word for baby and cide child murder, (Webster, 2004.) Put it together and it translates to one who kills an infant. The full meaning is to kill the infant before or after birth, with the consent of the parent, family, or community, (CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, Infanticide, 2004) According to the French Criminal Code the word is limited to the murder of the new-born infant. In English it has been used for the deprivation of life from the moment of conception up to the age of two or three years. (wikipedia, 2004.)
LAW:
Infanticide is an offence under section 233 of the Criminal Code. It says that a mother who causes the death of her new-born child by willful act or omission if at the time of the act her mind is disturbed because she has not recovered from the effects of childbirth is guilty of infanticide, (Department of Justice, 1998.)
HISTORY:
Infanticide, like all killing, has been a part of human history for a long time. Many years ago, infants who were born defected were killed so as not to be a burden for the family. Survival was so hard to achieve back then, and there were not many resources to care for a sick child. Another way that people used infanticide was in the Dark Ages, when sorcery and witchcraft seized the minds of society. Infants born with the "sign of the devil" were killed; usually this sign was something as innocent as a birthmark or a birth defect such as a hare lip. The mothers of these children thought these children were evil and they believed that killing them was in accordance with God 's wishes. Twins was also considered evil and slain at birth. Some cultures would just kill one of the babies and keep the other; in this situation one baby was killed because the parents would not be able to take care of two children. Infanticide was also done to the physically and mentally
MEANING:
Infanticide is a word that comes from the Latin language, in-fans, meaning unable to speak, which it is commonly used as a more formal word for baby and cide child murder, (Webster, 2004.) Put it together and it translates to one who kills an infant. The full meaning is to kill the infant before or after birth, with the consent of the parent, family, or community, (CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, Infanticide, 2004) According to the French Criminal Code the word is limited to the murder of the new-born infant. In English it has been used for the deprivation of life from the moment of conception up to the age of two or three years. (wikipedia, 2004.)
LAW:
Infanticide is an offence under section 233 of the Criminal Code. It says that a mother who causes the death of her new-born child by willful act or omission if at the time of the act her mind is disturbed because she has not recovered from the effects of childbirth is guilty of infanticide, (Department of Justice, 1998.)
HISTORY:
Infanticide, like all killing, has been a part of human history for a long time. Many years ago, infants who were born defected were killed so as not to be a burden for the family. Survival was so hard to achieve back then, and there were not many resources to care for a sick child. Another way that people used infanticide was in the Dark Ages, when sorcery and witchcraft seized the minds of society. Infants born with the "sign of the devil" were killed; usually this sign was something as innocent as a birthmark or a birth defect such as a hare lip. The mothers of these children thought these children were evil and they believed that killing them was in accordance with God 's wishes. Twins was also considered evil and slain at birth. Some cultures would just kill one of the babies and keep the other; in this situation one baby was killed because the parents would not be able to take care of two children. Infanticide was also done to the physically and mentally
Bibliography: George Woodcock (1969)