Infanticide, the killing of the newborn. It has been argued that the low status in which women are viewed in patriarchal societies creates a bias … Female infanticide is the deliberate killing of newborn female children. cide. There is no need for additional federal legislation on this topic." Nowadays, it is considered to be an unethical crime; however, it is still performed. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Mothers preferred their children to be fast, clever, active, and precocious in their development, and children showing opposite features, would not receive medical care when they were sick or were given less food than their siblings, since they were considered as showing less aptitude for life. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Since 1972, over 60 … Violent infanticide is usually committed by mothers, maternal figures or fathers and sometimes can be the result of postpartum depression or post-birth psychological issues. Infanticide occurs rarely once those ceremonies have taken place but killing a child before them is not seen as a homicide. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples This represents a gain in fitness by the killer, and a loss in fitness by the parents of the offspring killed. BE HEARD! Female infanticide is the most common form of infanticide, both nowadays and in the past. Unwanted pregnancies are the most common cause of infanticide nowadays. Infanticide, the killing of the newborn. the act of killing an infant. Nowadays, it is considered to be an unethical crime; however, it is still performed. Firstborn sacrifice was once common among many peoples in India; here the motive was the offering of one’s most precious possession to the deities. 2 [Late Latin infanticida, from Latin infant-, infans + -i- + -cida -cide] : one who kills an infant. When giving birth to a daughter, families can feel extreme financial pressure as they would be unable to pay a future dowry. Children also have been allowed to die or have been killed with cultural sanction because of irregular mating (such as incest or conception out of wedlock), or abnormal births, or for similar reasons. Updates? Another cause of infanticide associated with unwanted pregnancies may be illegitimate births, which means that the pregnancy is not the result of a marriage recognized by the society. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Among the Eskimo, for example, conditions of life were so severe that it was sometimes the practice to kill female children shortly after birth, lest there not be husbands able to support them. Sometimes, depending on the circumstances, there is no clear distinction between infanticide and abortion. Infanticide is usually indirect, in that children are abandoned rather than being actively put to death (but see Boswell 1988, who argues that abandoned children were often raised by a third party, if only to be sold as slaves). For example, in some communities in Benin (Africa) children born with a disability are killed, as negative magical effects or evil spells are attributed to their birth. Infanticide in general usage is defined as "the homicide of a person older than one week but less than one year of age." The same beliefs apply in cases of twin and albino children birth. Filicide is defined as "the homicide of a child (less than eighteen years of age) by his or her parent or stepparent." When the crime of infanticide is committed, this means that there was a deliberate killing of a child that is under a year old. Homicide, Sec. ‘Of course infanticide is a crime, but our treatment of it must be handled with compassion when such delicate issues as teenage pregnancy are involved.’ ‘The death penalty applied to homicide, infanticide, rape, robbery, and a number of non-violent crimes, like theft.’ the killing of an infant or a young offspring by an adult or mature individual of the same species Child Rights International Network (CRIN); Forms of violence: Infanticide, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro; World Report on Violence Against Children (UN), Alexandra Brevis; Anthropological perspectives of infanticide, G.M. However, among people who do not have this possibility, infanticide at birth can be performed. Many parents prefer to have an abortion before the birth, if they know that the child is a girl. Infanticide in NSW The offence of infanticide is similar to manslaughter. In the past, and in many societies, it was a widespread practice, permitted by different cultures around the world. As of today, while infanticide is still pervasive, abortion has become an alternative. 2. ( in-fan'ti-sīd ), 1. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-tcc-worldciv2/chapter/ This site uses cookies for analytics, personalized content and ads. Traditionally,…. Moreover, female infanticide is sometimes related to the control of the population. The active or semi-passive killing of a viable conceptus at greater than 20 weeks of gestation, which has breathed spontaneously. 1 : the killing of an infant. [infant + L. caedo, to kill] Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012. a person who kills an infant. 233. It has often been interpreted as a primitive method of birth control and a means of ridding a group of its weak and deformed children; but most societies actively desire children and put them to death (or allow them to die) only under exceptional circumstances. Quijo people in Ecuador). In Europe, infanticide included the practice…, …be indirect evidence of girl-child infanticide. Infanticide is the unlawful killing of very young children. the practice of killing newborn infants. One who murders an infant. 2. INFANTICIDE, med. The deliberate killing of newborn infants has long been practiced in human societies. Infanticide is usually difficult to report, because in most cases these deaths are covered as stillbirths or children are just not registered at the civil registry after the birth. http://www.theaudiopedia.com What is INFANTICIDE? There is a very widespread and accepted practice of infanticide in most countries. You will be redirected to Humanium’s secure website. In Polynesia, where populations often reached high density, similar practices prevailed. As an example, the estimate of the living population at Branč suggests that it consisted of 30 to 40 people, half of them children. Female infanticide and abortions have caused a great imbalance between the sexes in some regions. It seems to have been common in the ancient cultures of Greece, Rome, and China, and it was practiced in Europe until the 19th century. Sasse moves to expedite consideration on Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Your donation is tax deductible in Switzerland, France, Germany and the EU. This pattern of preference is largely connected to the institution of dowry, since the family’s obligation to provide a suitable dowry to the bride’s new family represents a major financial liability. The killing of an infant. Berkeley, CA, USA: University of California Press, 1993, The Society of the Prevention of Infanticide. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam offered a qualified defense of infanticide when commenting recently on a proposed bill that would loosen restrictions on late-term abortion in his state. Clearly, abortion is the infanticide of the present. These families often resort to killing their baby girls in order to avoid the “financial burden” of a daughter. And it operates in much the same way that manslaughter relates to the offence of murder. In the future, this could lead to an increase in girls trafficking or to forcing women to marry more than one man. By continuing to browse this site, you agree to this use. In countries with a history of female infanticide, the modern practice of sex-selective abortion is often discussed as a closely related issue. This essay is one of the editor’s picks on abortion and infanticide. With a major political party now overtly and unabashedly promoting infanticide this descent has dramatically accelerated. What is Infanticide? Direct or active Infanticide is killing the baby deliberately, by means of dehydration or starvation, suffocation or head injuries. juris. A female person commits infanticide when by a wilful act or omission she causes the death of her newly-born child, if at the time of the act or omission she is not fully recovered from the effects of giving birth to the child and by reason thereof or of the effect of lactation consequent on the birth of the child her mind is then disturbed. (q.v.) Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. • we defend children whose rights are violated, • we protect the most vulnerable children, • we make the rights of the child accessible to as many people as possible, We work for a world where children's rights are respected, protected and enforced. Although it used to be more common in the past, today we can still come across cases of infanticide, particularly against girls (female infanticide). In 2007, a UN report estimated that approximately 100 million girls worldwide had disappeared, 80 million of them in China and India. Indirect or passive infanticide begins with inadequate nutrition, neglect or careless parenting, especially when the baby gets sick. The deliberate killing of newborn infants has long been practiced in human societies. Claim: A 2002 born-alive bill had “reaffirmed” that “infanticide is already illegal in every state. The report comes as debates about late-term abortions and infanticide reach a boiling point in America. In China, infanticide is also practiced, mainly due to the one-child policy (even though it existed before), which states that each couple can have only one child. Most of these deaths were due to indirect or passive forms of infanticide. In criminology, infanticide is the homicide of an infant or newborn with the consent of the parents or family. Advocate for the protection of child rights by calling for an end to fires and deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest! This is a type of evolutionary struggle between the two sexes, in which the victim sex may have counter-adaptations that reduce the success of this … Infanticide is the act of deliberately causing the death of a very young child (under 1 year old). In many advanced societies, children have been killed in the belief that it would ensure health, good fortune, and general fertility. Thus, many women experience unwanted pregnancies, or they just want a certain kind of child, with specific characteristics, which they believe can be more helpful in their circumstances. In some countries such as Russia, the number of abortions is double the number of live births [3]. and foeticide. Read related articles here. Throughout coverage of Buttigieg’s, Northam’s and Tran’s infanticide comments, as well as coverage of the born-alive bill, establishment media has either accused Republicans and Trump of concocting an “infanticide” narrative, as the Times writes, or failed to cover incidents referencing Democratic candidates and infanticide at all. Infanticide has been observed among most mammal species and is recorded in nearly all human cultures. This practice is mainly due to the fact that, in some cultures, males are considered to be socially more valuable than women. Even in the 21st Century, gender discrimination continues unabated in almost all parts of the world. A concealed pregnancy was considered tantamount to the crime of infanticide. Other Words from infanticide Example Sentences Learn More … In some cultures, children are not considered to be human beings until certain ceremonies have been performed (name-giving ceremonies or haircuts for example). 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