In my youth smacking children was acceptable.
Naughty kids got “the cane” at primary school and parents could belt their children at the shopping mall in full view of witnesses with no repercussions.
Now there are fresh calls to ban smacking in Australia because supporters say condoning it makes it difficult to identify abusive parents.
Hear Rachel talk about her experience on the course on This Glorious Mess, here. Post continues…
Australian QC, Felicity Gerry, has argued that it is “not acceptable” that Australia is missing from the list of 49 countries that have reformed laws to ban all corporal punishment of children.
“Slapping, spanking, smacking and hitting a child with a wooden paddle are forms of violence that would amount to assault if applied to an adult,” Ms Gerry told NT News.
Ms Gerry wants to end the defence of “reasonable chastisement” for children.
Top Comments
Excuse me but smacking your child is not the same as abuse. I was smacked by both my parents. They are not abusers and I'll defend them always regardless of what any so-called "do-gooder" thinks. Smacking instantly tells a child that they're crossed a boundary/line and makes them instantly shameful of what they've done wrong. If you want to target someone, go after the parents who beat the hell out of their kids for no good reason or do it to vent their frustration at the world or for some sick, perverted pleasure. That's abuse. A well-meaning parent, trying to get through to a badly behaved child by smacking their child is NOT abuse!
Let's ban the "Cry it out" technique as well. Both are forms of cruelty towards the little people.