Euro meddlers call for total ban on smacking. Parents who smack their children should be prosecuted, says Europe human rights body. Parents who smack their children should be prosecuted for assault, a European human rights group said last night.
The Council of Europe is calling for a complete ban on smacking across the continent, saying even the smallest slap can leave psychological damage.
One official even compared parents who smack to men who violently beat their wives.
The Council says that Britain lags behind other countries who have initiated a ban.
It claims that one of the reasons that the UK has not put in place a ban is because of the 'traditional parent-child relationship' here which they claim is one of authority.
But the call from Europe to outlaw smacking provoked fury from parents' rights groups, who said it was wrong for Governments to try to dictate what parents could do in their own homes.
Norman Wells, director of the Family Education Trust said: 'The Council of Europe is failing to recognise that parents are authority figures in their children's lives.
'It is parents, and not national governments, who bear the responsibility of caring for children, nurturing them, and correcting them where necessary.
'As with any other authority figure, parents need to have sanctions at their disposal when their children misbehave, and they must be free to exercise their discretion and judgment with respect to their use.
'In a free society it is vital that parents should be allowed to bring up their children in a reasonable way, in line with their convictions.
'Generations of parents have proved the benefit of moderate smacking to correct their children's behaviour, and research continues to show its positive effects when used in the context of a loving home where children are respected and cherished.
'It has become a contentious issue only because of a vocal minority who are determined to undermine the authority of parents.'
European judges ruled a decade ago that smacking could breach children's rights and in the last three years some 20 countries have implemented a ban.
Britain is among a handful of European states, including France and Poland, who are holding out against the pressure for a ban.
Corporal punishment is banned in British schools but parents have a defence against assault charges on the grounds of 'reasonable chastisement'.
SOME COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT TOTALLY BANNED SMACKING
Council of Europe deputy secretary general Maud de Boer-Buquicchio said even smacks which did not leave a mark could cause serious psychological harm.
She said: 'Children are not mini-human beings with mini-human rights.
'Even if there are no visible scars on the children there can be other scars because of the humiliating effect.
'When we talk about violence against women everyone agrees with that and the same should be true for children. Human rights do not stop at the front door of people's homes.
'It is in my view important to remove the defence of smacking from the criminal law.'
She pointed to Sweden, where smacking was banned 30 years ago, and claimed its children were not more 'wild or indisciplined' as a result.
Academic research released earlier this year found children who are smacked by their parents grow up to be happier and more successful than those who are never physically disciplined.
It revealed children who are smacked before the age of six perform better at school once they reach their teenage years, are more likely to do voluntary work and go to university.
But those who are smacked after six were more likely to misbehave and become involved in fights at school. ( dailymail.co.uk )
The Council of Europe is calling for a complete ban on smacking across the continent, saying even the smallest slap can leave psychological damage.
One official even compared parents who smack to men who violently beat their wives.
The Council says that Britain lags behind other countries who have initiated a ban.
Total ban: Currently in Britain there is room for parents to argue that a smack is a 'reasonable' punishment
It claims that one of the reasons that the UK has not put in place a ban is because of the 'traditional parent-child relationship' here which they claim is one of authority.
But the call from Europe to outlaw smacking provoked fury from parents' rights groups, who said it was wrong for Governments to try to dictate what parents could do in their own homes.
Norman Wells, director of the Family Education Trust said: 'The Council of Europe is failing to recognise that parents are authority figures in their children's lives.
'It is parents, and not national governments, who bear the responsibility of caring for children, nurturing them, and correcting them where necessary.
SOME COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TOTALLY BANNED SMACKING
- Austria
- Germany
- Romania
- Iceland
- Spain
'As with any other authority figure, parents need to have sanctions at their disposal when their children misbehave, and they must be free to exercise their discretion and judgment with respect to their use.
'In a free society it is vital that parents should be allowed to bring up their children in a reasonable way, in line with their convictions.
'Generations of parents have proved the benefit of moderate smacking to correct their children's behaviour, and research continues to show its positive effects when used in the context of a loving home where children are respected and cherished.
'It has become a contentious issue only because of a vocal minority who are determined to undermine the authority of parents.'
European judges ruled a decade ago that smacking could breach children's rights and in the last three years some 20 countries have implemented a ban.
Britain is among a handful of European states, including France and Poland, who are holding out against the pressure for a ban.
Corporal punishment is banned in British schools but parents have a defence against assault charges on the grounds of 'reasonable chastisement'.
SOME COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT TOTALLY BANNED SMACKING
- UK
- Belgium
- France
- Russia
- Turkey
Council of Europe deputy secretary general Maud de Boer-Buquicchio said even smacks which did not leave a mark could cause serious psychological harm.
She said: 'Children are not mini-human beings with mini-human rights.
'Even if there are no visible scars on the children there can be other scars because of the humiliating effect.
'When we talk about violence against women everyone agrees with that and the same should be true for children. Human rights do not stop at the front door of people's homes.
'It is in my view important to remove the defence of smacking from the criminal law.'
She pointed to Sweden, where smacking was banned 30 years ago, and claimed its children were not more 'wild or indisciplined' as a result.
Academic research released earlier this year found children who are smacked by their parents grow up to be happier and more successful than those who are never physically disciplined.
It revealed children who are smacked before the age of six perform better at school once they reach their teenage years, are more likely to do voluntary work and go to university.
But those who are smacked after six were more likely to misbehave and become involved in fights at school. ( dailymail.co.uk )
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