In six weeks or so New Zealand will be holding a citizens’ initiated referendum. The question is: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?”
The question is causing considerable consternation. Leaders of the two major parties, John Key (Prime Minister) and Phil Goff, have both said they won’t be voting due to the ambiguity of the question. Architect of the so-called anti-smacking legislation, that the referendum is set to test, and Greens Party MP Sue Bradford has stated that she finds this attitude disappointing and that the leaders should be setting a good example, but I can understand their reluctance.
The assumption of the question is that smacking is part of good parenting, but this is not a given. If people answer “yes”, it implies they do not support good parental correction. If they vote “no”, they are supporting the use of smacking. It’s akin to that classic question, “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?”
Opponents of the anti-smacking legislation say the wording is perfectly clear. But compare these questions, which use the same form: “Should assault as part of good discipline of a spouse be a criminal offence?”; “Should assault as part of good workplace discipline be a criminal offence?” Because smacking another adult is assault.
Why should children be the only sector of society that is not protected from physical violence by the law? There is zero tolerance of physical violence between adults, in the law. Certainly, the police do exercise discretion and it can be up to the parties involved as to whether it even becomes a legal matter, but why should the same not apply to children? The law as written in New Zealand allows police discretion not to prosecute where the violence is considered of a trivial nature.
Studies show that smacking is ineffective as a form of discipline, and may lead to the belief that violence is a way of solving problems. Still, many people hold fast to the view that smacking should be part of parental discipline, and its absence is the reason for current social problems. This does not address the fact that much poor parenting is due to a lack of skill, knowledge, and a lack of respect. Thumping people doesn’t help improve those aspects. A survey carried out by Save the Children in the UK has some telling insights into how children themselves view smacking.
Hopefully soon the groundswell of attitude against violence will gain sufficient critical mass to ensure that striking children is no more acceptable than striking adults.