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Give Children Equal Rights As Adults Under Physical Assault Laws.
Baroness Joan Walmsley simply wants children to have equal protection, no more no less. "Smacking" is already banned - for all people except children.
The law still allows parents and others to justify common assault of children as "reasonable punishment". This defence is unjust and unsafe, and must be abolished now. The law forbids husbands and wives to hit each other but, as long as they don't leave a mark, they can get away with hitting their children. There are much more positive and effective ways of teaching children how to behave well than hitting them. All this teaches them is that violence wins.
This simple reform will send a clear message that hitting children, however we dress it up, is as unacceptable and unlawful as hitting anyone else.
Giving children less protection under the law on assault is disrespectful. Children are people with human rights to physical integrity and human dignity just like the rest of us.
Joan joins the campaign
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