Consultation on the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill

Tystiolaeth i’r Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg ar gyfer craffu Cyfnod 1 Bil Plant (Diddymu Amddiffyniad Cosb Resymol) (Cymru)

Evidence submitted to the Children, Young People and Education Committee for Stage 1 scrutiny of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill

CADRP-550

CADRP-550

 

About you

Individual

1      The Bill’s general principles

1.1     Do you support the principles of the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Bill?

— Partly

1.2     Please outline your reasons for your answer to question 1.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

Child abuse is absolutely evil and those who seek to harm children for their own sick benefit should be punished. However, banning smacking is not going to stop those evil individuals who are determined to harm children. Smacking a child is not abuse. It is a tool to discipline children, and you discipline your child because you love them and want them to grow up learning right from wrong. Loving parents should have the right to determine who best to raise their child, and not be criminalised for it. Children who are not disciplined will cause themselves, other children and other adults harm. In Sweden they found that child-on-child violence increased after the 1979 ban on smacking. We do not want this for our children and society.

The current law is there to try and protect children fro violence, and sadly that is not always successful. Making smacking a crime will overwhelm the police and social services and has the potential to cause untold harm to families.

As the 2017 com res poll found that 76% of Welsh adults were against criminalisng smacking, please, please acknowledge that.

1.3     Do you think there is a need for legislation to deliver what this Bill is trying to achieve?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

No

2      The Bill’s implementation

2.1     Do you have any comments about any potential barriers to  implementing the Bill? If no, go to question 3.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

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2.2     Do you think the Bill takes account of these potential barriers?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

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3      Unintended consequences

3.1     Do you think there are there any unintended consequences arising from the Bill? If no, go to question 4.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

Yes, most definitely. The police and social services will be stretched much further than they already are, on trivial or inaccurate reports, diverting time and resources from where they are most needed.

Families could be torn apart with devastating long term consequences.

4      Financial implications

4.1     Do you have any comments on the financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum)? If no, go to question 5.1

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

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5      Other considerations

5.1     Do you have any other points you wish to raise about this Bill?

(we would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 1000 words)

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