Off the Books: Legal reform for Europe's Parliaments on banning corporal punishment

Summary: In every nation in Europe it is illegal to hit people. Children are people too, yet in two thirds of Council of Europe member states, the criminal assault laws that protect adults from violence fall far short of protecting children.

In every nation in Europe it is illegal to hit people. Children are people too, yet in two thirds of Council of Europe member states, the criminal assault laws that protect adults from violence fall far short of protecting children. Everyday children are hit in the name of “educative” discipline and “reasonable chastisement”.

Off the books! aims to brief parliamentarians and other lawmakers on the legal and support measures needed to achieve effective prohibition of all corporal punishment of children.

The first part provides guidance on analysing and improving national legislation. This may involve removing legal defences that allow corporal punishment to slip through the net. Or it may entail adding explicit provisions in child protection acts, civil and family codes, and so forth, clearly stating that neither parents nor other adults are allowed to
use corporal punishment and other forms of humiliating treatment on children. The second part focuses on understanding and implementation.

Once full prohibition is achieved in law, governments must raise awareness at all levels on children’s human rights and implement policy measures to support prohibition, applying to both families and child professionals.

Further information

pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/OffBooks_en.pdf

Organisation: 

Countries

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