Last month, Fox6 News in Milwaukee reported a court case where a father was convicted of one felony for physical abuse of a child. The 38-year-old dad supposedly hit his five-year-old son with a belt for soiling his underwear before school. The little boy recounted the punishment to two teachers at his pre-school and they contacted authorities in concern. According to the news story, the little boy had significant bruising across his rear end. The child's mother dropped him off at day-care that morning claiming that he had slipped on the floor and hurt his tailbone area. Later she explained that they had a very rough floor, which is why the bruises were so uneven. When a Child Advocacy Center worker later interviewed the little boy, he explained that his father had spanked him with a brown belt in the kitchen, and never mentioned slipping and falling. While the father was convicted on various criminal charges in this case, he was given an additional count of physical child abuse for this instance.
Spanking has always been a common way of correcting a child, but recently the action has merited some criticism. Some advocacy groups believe that spanking is abusive, which has led to court trials and further consideration. In Canada, a child protective services agent has been researching the concept of spanking and swatting children for corrective measures. With help from the University of Manitoba, this man researched the long-term effects of corrective measures like spanking. He published his findings in the Canadian Medical Association Journal just last month, and declared that these types of consequences make children more violent in their adult lives.
Internationally, countries have taken a wide variety of views on spanking. In England, anti-spanking laws are enforced to keep parents from performing abusive actions. Still, some parliament members believe that the heightened amount of riots and gangs in the area are partially the result of this punishment prevention. In many cases, spanking is relative. When a parent hits their child with extreme force and causes considerable pain or bruising, this can be termed child abuse. In cases where the father or mother gives their child a reprimanding swat, it is usually less of a big deal. In a survey by BabyCenter, it was discovered that 81 percent of all mothers were swatted as children, but only 46 percent of these mothers chose to spank their own offspring.
In the USA, there are no laws specifically barring spanking, but many states have provisions against a slap that leaves a lasting mark on the child. For example, a child who has bruises after a spanking that remain for a considerable amount of time may be considered the victim of child abuse. Also, at least 29 states ban teachers in school from spanking their pupils. Back in 2007, Massachusetts proposed a bill which would make spanking illegal within the state. Many parents were enraged at the possibility, and believe that they should have the option to use this corrective technique.
No state has fully enforced an anti-spanking law for parents, but cases will be dealt with based on where they lie in severity. In Miami, a mother sued her husband for spanking their fourteen-year-old daughter once with his bare hand. During the court case, the judge ruled that the spanking was not abusive, and the father was released. In another case, a father used a belt to punish his young son for disobeying him. The child was left with bruises and welts all along his backside. This father was given a $1,000 fine for abusing his child. If you have been accused of child abuse for punishing your child with a spanking, you need to set up a consultation with a lawyer who can help mediate you case. You will want to present all evidence from your side of the story and put together a defense in order to prove your innocence and show that the discipline was not harmful.