A country under the rule of the United Kingdom made spanking children illegal, with several other parts of the UK due to follow suit.
The British Isle of Jersey joined 53 other countries banning spanking after voting to remove a section of law that allowed parents or guardians to do it if they used ‘reasonable’ force.
Scotland and Wales are also planning to change the legislation, however England has not yet made a move to do so.
The Children Act 2004 in the UK forbids any hitting that ’causes bruises, cuts or scratches’.
Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield called for a blanket ban on smacking in England, The Mirror reports.
‘The legislation in England, granting an exemption from the law on common assault to allow the physical punishment of children, is outdated,’ Ms Longfield said.
‘It should be updated to reflect what the majority of parents believe: that hitting children is wrong.’
In Australia, corporal punishment by a parent or carer is lawful and is not considered child abuse provided that it is ‘reasonable’.