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-252

CADRP-252

 

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?

— No

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)

Society is currently so timid that we fear apprehending the small minority of people who regularly and systematically abuse their children. To try and be seen to be being “even handed” or “fair”, society repeatedly attempts to treat everyone in exactly  the same manner, even though people do not behave in the same ways. The vast majority of loving parents educate and discipline their children in ways solely aimed at protecting them and helping them to grow into reasonable, productive members of society with clear ideas of right and wrong and an appreciation of boundaries surrounding what is and is not acceptable behaviour. Subjecting such families to a strict, legal framework of what is deemed acceptable behaviour, in an effort to prevent unreasonable, loveless adults from abusing children is pointless on both fronts. Loving families will lose the right to nurture their families in ways they see fit whilst unreasonable abusers will simply ignore those laws and carry on abusing. We should be courageous enough to accept that some people behave in harmful ways and work to stop those. We should not punish the reasonable majority in a futile attempt to alter the behaviour of the unreasonable few.

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. Legislation will always fail to achieve the desired aim of preventing abuse.

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)

Legislating will end up in unreasonable, wasteful and potentially malicious court cases which will waste time and money whilst abusive law breakers will simply continue to try and dominate through fear and violence.

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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