Irish charity calls for a ban on slapping children

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) are calling on the government to make slapping children illegal.

 

A new survey by the ISPCC and the Childrens Rights Alliance found that three in five parents have hit their child, even though 75% of parents don’t believe it’s an effective method of discipline.

 

While the government claims a ban like this isn’t necessary, 57% of parents say they would support it and 16 other EU countries have already adopted the law.

 

ISPCC director of services said that there is no evidence to show that slapping children is beneficial in any way at all. Instead, it causes harm to a child’s physical, emotional and mental health.

Tanya Ward of the Children's Rights Alliance also added countries that have made it illegal to slap children had less court cases.