Below can be attributed to Act for Kids CEO Dr Katrina Lines:
Act for Kids' strongly believes corporal punishment is ineffective, harmful and violates children's rights.
It has no place in Australian homes or legislation.
Act for Kids' position is evidence-led and aligns with 30 leading and respected child protection organisations and research centres involved in a joint submission to the Queensland Law Reform Commission Review.
The organisation through its partnership with Allies for Children and e-kidna, is advocating for the removal of laws that allow corporal punishment.
More than 75 studies involving 160,000 children have found no evidence that corporal punishment improves behaviour over time.
Scientific research clearly shows that smacking and other forms of physical discipline are ineffective.
The facts are that corporal punishment increases the risk of child maltreatment and contributes to cycles of violence and crime, including domestic violence and involvement with the criminal justice system.
Abolishing laws that allow corporal punishment would send a strong message to parents and carers as well as the wider community that violence is never acceptable in Australia.
