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[d_r]

130. it is not up to each citizen

to be an attorney or investigator and establish proof.

Again, I think what is described by the OP sucks.

However, and I feel strongly about this, the moral obligation is to report suspicion of abuse or neglect.

I think it does a disservice to children to advocate anything less than that.

We must trust the professionals who there to investigate to do the investigation.

If we instead get involved in the drama of trying to figure out if there is proof or evidence or how much and what then we are running the risk of letting children down.

The OP, on the other hand, is murking about in the soap opera.

Look, I don't want to argue about this. I try hard to be open to other opinions and listen to other voices and can be swayed on many issues. But I am steadfast on this one. The moral obligation is to report suspicion, and I do not think any good comes from encouraging people to search for nuance.

to add to your link RE: Tennessee law, and again, I don't know your state law,
http://www.tn.gov/youth/childsafety/cah.html#Who%20is%20a%20%E2%80%9CMandated%E2%80%9D%20reporter%20of%20child%20abuse%20and%20neglect?

Who is a “Mandated” reporter of child abuse and neglect?

Tennessee Code Annotated 37-1-403(i) (1) requires all persons to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. “Any person who has knowledge of or is called upon to render aid to any child who is suffering from or has sustained any wound, injury, disability, or physical or mental condition, shall report such harm immediately if the harm is of such a nature as to reasonably indicated that it has been caused by brutality abuse, or neglect or that, on basis of available information, reasonably appears to have been caused by brutality, abuse, or neglect.”