"Afraid of being beaten…" A 9-year-old child who even checked their mother’s mood before using the restroom was a victim of abuse

Psychological counselor Lee Ho-seon shared various cases of child abuse, highlighting the severity of the issue.

In an episode of tvN's "Lee Ho-seon Counseling Center" aired on the 18th, the topic of "child abuse" was discussed.

During that broadcast, Lee Ho-seon revealed that she once encountered a child victim of abuse while giving a lecture at a church.

She recalled, "I went to give a lecture at a church some time ago, and there was a 9-year-old child who kept hesitating. When I told them to go to the restroom, they usually do so without issue. But this child hesitated and looked at their mother standing nearby. After the mother said it was okay to go, the child returned unusually quickly, as if stopping midway."

She continued, "The mother's gaze was sharp. When I asked the child, 'Did you have a good time? Are you comfortable?' the child replied 'Yes' but still appeared anxious. The reason was that they were afraid of being beaten at home for whatever they said." Her words evoked deep sympathy.

She added, "Children who have been abused for a long time suffer severe stress, and their kidney functions are often damaged from an early age. If a child cannot hold urine properly and hesitates over even the slightest gesture from their mother outside, what kind of situation might be happening at home?" She described it as evidence of abuse.

Lee Ho-seon stated, "The child abuse cases reported in the news represent only a tiny fraction. Child abuse is becoming an increasingly common topic. There are mothers who starve their newborns to death while playing online games, and others who throw their children away when they cry loudly. Countless children are suffering inside unseen, closed-off homes."

She further explained, "There is a clear difference between discipline and abuse. In some Middle Eastern countries, when a 7-year-old child was caught stealing, their father gathered neighbors and forced a car to roll over the child's wrist because they had stolen. Cutting off a child's arm for theft is not correcting them; it is killing them. This cannot be considered discipline—it is clearly abuse."

She added, "Discipline aims at a child's growth and development and follows established standards, whereas abuse is driven by the perpetrator's emotions and continues until they feel relieved."

Finally, Lee Ho-seon emphasized, "Every adult is a mandatory reporter. If you notice children around you who are shrinking under intimidating situations, those with poor hygiene management, or those with unexplained recurring injuries, you should suspect abuse."