[lettie]

Laws such as this do not stop abuse. I was only smacked once by my dad as a child, once was enough, the threat of another smack made me behave. I consider that this smack did me no harm. There are too many do- gooders in this country who are unable to see the wood for the trees. If you pop down to Accy social services on any day of the week there will be a case conference about a child protection issue. Unfortunately these families who abuse their kids are never infertile, so I have attended plenty of these. The abuse isn't always physical, sometimes it is a matter of neglect ie, children coming a cropper when left home alone - toddlers especially. Sometimes the abuse is emotional or sexual but there's plenty of genuine abuse going on. Maybe the law should be looking at ways to stop these sick individuals interfering with their kids before it picks on those who deal out a well timed and well deserved, one-off smack.