Republican Argues Child Abuse Deaths Can Be a 'Benefit to Society'
A Republican state lawmaker in Alaska stunned his colleagues this week by making the case for the potential economic
benefits of fatal cases of child abuse. State Rep. David Eastman’s comments went viral after he spoke at a hearing
concerning traumatic childhood experiences and how they affect the child over the course of their lives. “In the case
where child abuse is fatal, obviously it’s not good for the child, but it’s actually a benefit to society because there
aren’t needs for government services and whatnot over the whole course of that child’s life,” Eastman said. When
asked if he just said child abuse deaths could “benefit” society, Eastman replied: “I’m talking dollars.” He said that
instead of the child’s death being a net cost to society, “It gets argued periodically that it’s actually a cost savings
because that child is not going to need any of those government services that they might otherwise be entitled to
receive and need based on growing up in this type of environment.”
Not even sure what to say here. Rep. Eastman says it’s a benefit to society when children who are victims of abuse
die “because there aren’t needs for government services over the course of that child’s life” when they die as a
results of abuse. #akleg pic.twitter.com/0hV4o7AzTY
--- — The Alaska Landmine (@alaskalandmine) February 21, 2023
https://www.thedailybeast.com/alaska-republican-argues-child-abuse-deaths-can-be-a-benefit-to-society?ref=home
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