United Nations Says Parents Smacking Children In Any Setting Should Be Made Illegal | HuffPost Life

Smacking Kids Should Be Made Illegal, Suggests UN

Amy Packham— The Huffington Post UK

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Parents smacking children should be made illegal in the UK, a United Nations report has suggested.

In the report, the UN stated the UK should put an end to smacking "all settings including the home" and "encourage non-violent forms of discipline instead".

However government spokesperson said, according to the BBC that they "did not wish to criminalise parents for issuing a mild smack".

The suggestion was part of the recommendations issued by the UN Human Rights Committee, which has published an assessment of legal and cultural issues in the UK.

Existing laws in England and Wales allow children to be given "reasonable punishment" as long as implements are not used and no injury is caused such as bruises or cuts.

But the UN said any legal defences for parents who smack children should be abolished.

In the report, they suggested the UK Government should take practical steps to stop parents smacking including legislative measures "where appropriate", with the aim to put an end to corporal punishment in all settings throughout the UK.

The report also stated the government should make the public aware of the harmful effects of smacking through information campaigns.

What do you think - is a 'mild smack' currently allowed that doesn't cause injury okay when parents are disciplining their children? Comments below, please.

SEE ALSO:
A Third Of German Parents Are Fine With Smacking Children. But What About British Parents?
Why I (Occasionally) Smack My Children

Mean Things Our Parents Did When We Were Little (Gallery)

Despite not living on the breadline as far as I recall, if I wanted a biscuit I was 'rewarded' with a buttered Weetabix(01 of19)

Same with sweets - except I got a bag of raisins. :( (credit:rutlo/Flickr)

To this day, I still view having plentiful supplies of ice in the freezer as a real treat, as I was limited to one cube per drink as a child.(02 of19)

Yes, frozen water was rationed. (credit:Juriah Mosin via Getty Images)

If we ever ran out of toothpaste my Mum made me brush my teeth with salt.(03 of19)

(credit:metinkiyak via Getty Images)

Gave me a bowl cut actually using a bowl on my first day of school(04 of19)

Was not pleased (credit:Guff.com)

My mum used to make the dinner ladies sit with me at lunchtime in primary school as I was always hiding the food I didn't like in my pockets.(05 of19)

*Innocent face* (credit:Creatas via Getty Images)

I was made to sit at the table until I'd finished the dinner you hate *casserole* and make your older brother's friend *who you fancied* watch me 'til I ate it.(06 of19)

Like this, except I was about 12. Thanks Mum. (credit:vauvau/Flickr)

I was never allowed to have ketchup with any meal which contained baked beans/ spaghetti hoops...(07 of19)

(credit:Rain Rabbit/Flickr)

..I was also never allowed pop tarts or flavoured cereals(08 of19)

My parents ran a cruel ship. (credit:JeepersMedia/Flickr)

No chocolate snacks. I grew up in the house of apples and muesli bars(09 of19)

Also banned:
Tattoos
Heroin
Dr Marten boots
Motorcycles (still banned apparently)
...not entirely sure how they weighted the issues. (credit:Fairy Heart â™¥/Flickr)

They made me and my bro wear the same clothes.(10 of19)

Or, rather, the same prints. Him in a shirt and me in a dress. Like weird different sized twins. (credit:Andrew Taylor via Getty Images)

Made me go and put back a flashing roadworks light I'd stolen (whilst drunk) in broad daylight in the main street in our village.(11 of19)

This was because 'someone could have got killed' by me nicking it. It was around resurfacing works and the hole was about one two centimetres deep. (credit:comedy_nose/Flickr)

We had one of those victorian photoshoots and the picture is on the mantlepiece - AH(12 of19)

(credit:MuseumWales/Flickr)

When I ring home they make me talk to our dog down the phone..(13 of19)

..Even though I have repeatedly told them animals can't speak English (credit:damedeeso via Getty Images)

My parents decided I needed to learn the meaning of a wage, and sent me to run the ice-cream van on Saturday at a motor auction.(14 of19)

I was NINE. (credit:Ezra.Wolfe/Flickr)

My dad used to put vinegar in ketchup when it had nearly run out. He said it made it last longer. It tasted gross(15 of19)

My mum used to intercept and throw the ketchup away before he'd managed to get to it.

When I was little I had to eat a whole bowl of apple crumble with cheese sauce... because my mum thought she had given me custard.(16 of19)

(credit:Chris Fertnig via Getty Images)

When I was a baby my mum forced me to eat mashed banana, even though I cried the whole time.(17 of19)

Turns out I was allergic to it. (credit:Steven Errico via Getty Images)

My mum used to make the dinner ladies sit with me at lunchtime in primary school as I was always hiding the food I didn't like in my pockets.(18 of19)

(credit:Kim Gunkel via Getty Images)

When I was little my mum tried to teach me that red was blue and blue was red, as an experiment. (19 of19)

And then got worried she would damage me. (credit:Wealan Pollard via Getty Images)

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