Teen chops off hands of custodial dad; sounds like blowback to me (Miaoli, Taiwan)

In this case, the custodial dad--identified only as FAN--got custody after mom "left home some ten years ago." Frankly, given the son's experiences, I think it's safe to say that she was driven out or kicked out by her abusive husband. At any rate, the boy couldn't stand the abuse anymore, and struck out in a violent way himself against the father.

Here's a concept for all you FR sympathizers out there: Blowback.

The idea of blowback started in foreign policy circles, and involves unintended consequences for your actions, often times contrary to your original intentions. Think of it this way. All the advocates who are trying to keep abusers from getting custody/unsupervised visitation of children? Maybe in the long run they aren't "hurting" abusers or "taking away their rights" at all. To the contrary. Maybe they're keeping their sorry butts alive, so their desparate victims aren't driven to violent retaliation and/or self-defense. Think about it. Maybe you're doing the abuser a personal favor if you don't let him have unfettered access to his potential victims.

Hat tip to Anonymum for finding this.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/world/story/866240.html

Monday, Sep. 28, 2009
Police: Taiwan teen chops off dad's hands
By By ANNIE HUANG Associated Press Writer

A 17-year-old Taiwanese boy has been arrested for chopping off his father's hands, allegedly to avenge years of physical abuse, a police official said Tuesday.

The boy cut through his father's wrists with a knife while he was asleep at the family's home in central Miaoli on Monday, the official said. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

The 37-year-old father, a divorced ironsmith, was in stable condition after doctors reattached his severed hands, the official said.

The father and son were identified only by their surname, Fan.

The police official said the boy admitted to cutting his father's hands off and showed no remorse, complaining that he was beaten after refusing to get a job while attending school.

The Apple Daily newspaper quoted the boy as telling police that since his mother left home some 10 years ago, his father had frequently beat him and even tossed a chair or other objects at him.

The boy said he bought a knife and planned to kill his father two days earlier after his father reprimanded him for refusing to work and denied him allowances, the report said.

The boy has been handed over to a juvenile court that will decide whether to file charges.