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-541

CADRP-541

 

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)

I do not support the bill because I feel there is sufficient protection for children under the existing laws and that introducing this legislation will criminalize loving parents.

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. As I have stated above I believe there is currently sufficient protection for Children in our existing laws, genuine abuse can be prosecuted. Children should obviously be protected from abuse but the time and energy that is being put into passing this bill is misplaced and could be better used elsewhere, in other ways that promote and ensure their safety.

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)

Its highly questionable as to whether this bill represents the will of the people given that various polls have found that most Welsh adults are against criminalizing reasonable smacking. For example, the 2017 ComRes poll found 76% of them against.

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)

-

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)

This bill will damage families through the over-intrusion of the state. Cases of genuine abuse will be lost amidst the glut of prosecutions of loving parents who have reasonably disciplined their child. Furthermore, where this ban has been implemented for some time, in Sweden, violence among children has increased 1,791%.

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)

Just to reiterate that there will be lots of prosecutions of loving parents filling the court system, which will have financial implications as well as potentially allowing genuine cases of abuse to be lost. The demand on Police and Social Service time and money will be considerable, and both are already stretched.

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)

I, and many of my acquaintances were reasonably disciplined as children, but we do not view our parents as 'abusers'. Rather we love them and are grateful for how they raised us.