united-states children parental-rights
To what legal extent can parents prevent children from masturbating?
<p>There was a meme circulating around of an <a href="https://pics.me.me/keeps-my-son-from-sinning-october-20-2015-by-james-3355121.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Amazon review</a> of a chastity belt (Be warned, there's a chastity belt in the image). It essentially is a mother describing her absolute joy that her son is no longer "sinning" at night thanks to a chastity belt. </p>

<p>Whether this is actually real, morally acceptable, socially acceptable or good parenting is another question. But I'm curious on whether this is legal and if religion is a legal justification of such actions. </p>

<p>I feel that if any minor told me that their mother puts a chastity belt on them I'd be morally obligated to call CPS.</p>

<p><strong>To what legal extent can parents prevent children from masturbating and are religious reasons legal justifications for such actions?</strong></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>To what legal extent can parents prevent children from masturbating
  and are religious reasons legal justifications for such actions?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>One of the main restrictions on parental authority is a prohibition on engaging in child abuse or neglect. But, in most cases, this either isn't defined at all, or is defined only in the most general terms (in the same way culpability for an accident depends upon "negligence" which is also only vaguely defined).</p>

<p>So, somebody would have to decide if that conduct constitutes abuse or neglect of a child (realistically, this fact pattern would involve the issue of abuse, rather than neglect), and while religious reasons can justify some conduct that might otherwise be considered abusive because it caused harm for no justifiable reason, ultimately, the interest of the state in preventing the abuse of children outweighs freedom of religion and could give rise to criminal child abuse charges and/or termination of parental rights.</p>

<p>Whether or not a chastity belt would constitute abuse would depend upon the judgment of the relevant CPS official, a prosecuting attorney and a trial judge (possibly subject to appellate judge review), in light of common sense and community standards. There is no hard and fast rule, and the question might be resolved in different ways in different times and in different places.</p>
