Staff Reports
Erin Healy, a Democrat and a State Representative of South Dakota ignited a discussion by tweeting that idealizing a traditional two-parent married household is “un-American” and “dangerous.” She made this remark in response to the Family Heritage Alliance’s assertion that the home of a married parent was the safest environment for a child. Critics countered Healy’s assertion with data supporting the view that married biological parents are the safest adults with whom children can reside.
Actually, when it comes to abuse, the safest place for kids is an intact, biological married family. See, e.g., this federal report on child abuse and neglect: https://t.co/WT8B2ubXUz https://t.co/eYzEyAYREX pic.twitter.com/am150tbco3
— Brad Wilcox (@BradWilcoxIFS) February 14, 2023
In 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services carried out a study, which revealed that children who reside with their married biological parents have the lowest incidence of maltreatment. In contrast, children whose single parents lived with a partner experienced more than ten times the abuse rate and nearly eight times the neglect rate as those living with their married biological parents. The study also highlighted that children of single parents with live-in partners experienced the highest rates of physical and sexual abuse when compared to children in other living arrangements.
In response to Healy’s assertion, the University of Virginia Director Brad Wilcox of the National Marriage Project referred to the federal report on child abuse and neglect. Wilcox contended that, with regard to abuse, an intact, biological, married family is the safest environment for children.
Healy’s tweet has sparked an important conversation about what constitutes a safe and secure environment for children. While Healy believes that idealizing the traditional two-parent married household is “dangerous” and “un-American”, data shows that this type of household is still the safest place for children. It is vital to recognize that not all families fit into this traditional mold, but it is also important to recognize that this type of household is still the safest for children.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on The Daily Caller
