How can I stop my husband beating our son?

Dear AmoMama,

I have been witnessing my husband chastising my son for 14 years now, so I suppose I should be used to it, but it is becoming unbearable.

My husband's father was a military man, and he raised harshly, with discipline and stringent rules. In his house, there were no questions, orders were to be obeyed or there would be consequences.

His mother was a quiet woman who stood aside and let my father-in-law a free hand with her son's education.

I used to criticise her, but now I am ashamed to see I have done the same. When my son was tiny, my husband was strict, but not violent. Now that my son has started questioning him, opposing his will as teens always do, he has become progressively harsher.

Two years ago he started caning him, but when my son would not break, the caning progressed to what are now vicious beatings.

I've spoken to my son, begged him to not answer back, not to trigger his father's temper, but he just looks at me and does not answer me.

My husband will not listen to me at all and says my son's rebellious nature comes from my side of the family and he will beat the weakness out of him.

Please, what can I do? If I back my son, I make my husband even angrier, but this can't go on. He has already broken my boy's ribs, and I am afraid one day he will lose control and do worse.

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