Anti-Smacking Law Tragic Failure as Child Abuse Death Rate Continues
Family First NZ says that the announcement of the death of three-year-old Auckland toddler Dylan Rimoni being treated as a homicide means that the rate of child abuse deaths has continued at the same rate as before the flawed anti-smacking law.
“While good families are being investigated and thrown under suspicion because of the extremist anti-smacking law pushed by the Prime Minister and Sue Bradford, child abuse has continued at the same rate and the same old underlying issues of drug and alcohol abuse and family breakdown and dysfunction continue to be ignored,”? says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“Before Bradford’s anti-smacking law was passed, there were an average of 7 child abuse deaths per year since 2000. Since the law change less than a year ago, there has already been another seven.”?
They include:
- Remuera 16 month old Sachin Dhani June 2007
- a 28-year-old woman charged with murdering a newborn baby found dead in the backyard of a Te Mome Road property in Alicetown June 2007
- Tokoroa 22-month-old Tyla-Maree Darryl Flynn June 2007
- Rotorua 3 year old Nia Glassie July 2007
- Manurewa ten-month-old Jyniah Mary Te Awa September 2007
- Otahuhu two-month-old Tahani Mahomed December 2007
They don’t include Wanganui toddler Jhia Te Tua shot dead in an alleged gang-related drive-by shooting in the month the bill was passed (May 2007)
“Opponents to Bradford’s anti-smacking law, which included many Plunket, CYF and Barnardos frontline social workers, have been proved right. The law has done nothing to protect at-risk children or to strengthen at-risk families. It has simply made victims of good parents raising good kids.”
“That’s why the petition demanding a referendum which only required 285,000 signatures was presented last month with over 330,000 signatures. NZ’ers are sick of our leaders “fluffing” around the real issues of child abuse,”? says Mr McCoskrie.
Countries which do not meddle in family matters like Italy, seem to have better happier families, these Idiot NZ policians just want to wield power in as many places as they can. INTRUSIVE !
Comment by Martin Swash — Tue 22nd April 2008 @ 10:14 pm
I am told that NZ politicians pass more legislation each year than any other western democracy. However I’m doubtful that Italy have none. Prof Bill Atkins lists them as having significant Family Law legislation in his International Review of Family Law.
Comment by Allan Harvey — Tue 22nd April 2008 @ 11:19 pm
The divorce rate for Italian couples in 2000 was only 13.7 per 100 marriages in 2000, similar to that of Ireland, but far below that of Belgium, 59.9 per 100, and Britain, 50.5 per 100 !
Most divorces in Italy take 4-5 years ! This is all due to the strong influence of the Roman Catholic church. When you go there , you just feel that families are more important and the woman have less incentive to break up families and automatically expect DPB from the state.
Comment by Martin Swash — Wed 23rd April 2008 @ 12:08 am
We already had the results of the social experiment of banning corporal punishment in schools. Far from supporting the claim that “stopping the modelling of violence” would lead to a reduction in violent behaviour, the results of this experiment are that teaching has become a physically unsafe occupation. Bullying, youth violence, alcohol and drug abuse, disrespect for authority and for others in society have all increased steadily since the introduction of the experiment. Schools suspend and expell students at many times the rate that they ever used to. The violence in alienating a child from his or her social group and from socially normal developmental processes far exceeds the violence in a few stinging whacks across the legs, a punishment that previously was sufficient to keep most badly behaved kids in the fold.
The outcome of the Bradford’s social experiment will be similar in nature but far worse in degree.
Comment by Hans Laven — Thu 24th April 2008 @ 3:53 pm
There is absolutely no Justice in New Zealand. The Family Court is a law unto itself. Yes the staff smile now. Their resources are used to destroy good families
while dysfunctional families are ignored. Where rape and abuse agaist women occur like in the gangs and brothels they do not venture there( same for womens refuge).
A stressed woman phone a governemnt agency about help with her family worries and then Womens Refuge steps in threatning her with removal of children if she did not follow them to their hideout. If not strong the woman goes, protection orders follow then a family is destroyed. The abuse sustained by the children is beyond belief. They get barred from their dad for months. Dads(mothers?) will be submitted to humiliating supervison contact with the children. If you paye for your humiliation the court will regard it as a good gesture because they know they have broken you.
Comment by alma — Fri 25th April 2008 @ 5:43 pm
that is wrong doing that stuff the crimnals should be put bihind bars.
thay need to lern there leson.it is not right…
Comment by michael — Wed 7th May 2008 @ 10:33 am
As a recent immigrant to NZ, I’m screaming ‘get me out of here!’ This country is unbelievable.
I am totally against any form of child abuse. I think anyone in their right mind would be. However, only in NZ(and probably the US) have i heard of so many innocent families being falsely accused of child abuse. My family is currently going through it and it makes me doubt every single report we have on child abuse in the media. I have learnt that the police are fully capable of making completely false statements in the media and the family will not stand a chance in the public’s eyes. As for court, I’ve just learnt that that is just an excuse for the Crown to waste resources and people’s time. There is no justice in NZ.
Do DSAC doctors actually have blood running through their veins? That bunch of doctors is any innocent parent’s worst nightmare.
It seems so easy for a doctor with a couple of abbreviations behind their name to think they can talk whatever crap they want and completely destroy an innocent families lives.
Comment by Maggie — Fri 16th May 2008 @ 8:51 pm
hello im matt and i dont agree with the anti smacking law and it needs to be changed
Comment by kingmatt242 — Mon 31st August 2009 @ 12:56 pm
The Law failed again today. Woman in court:
Comment by alastair — Mon 31st August 2009 @ 12:59 pm
It never ceases to amaze me how quick judges are to suppress womens names. Bet if it was a man his name would be all over the news as the killer. Huh Tears on demand!
Comment by alastair — Mon 31st August 2009 @ 1:02 pm
this is rediculous.
we need to stop child abuse.
Comment by billy brown — Fri 23rd October 2009 @ 1:58 pm
Italy banned the use of physical force by parents against children in 1997 – that might be something for your to consider if you think that their families are happier than New Zealand’s. The difference is that in Italy there is a culture of respect for children. If only people like yourself realised that children’s rights are important enough to be respected, maybe New Zealand’s families would be happier too.
Comment by Eliza — Wed 18th November 2009 @ 4:39 pm
I can’t see from Martin Swash’s post where he believes that children’s rights are unimportant. Could you please highlight for me which part of his 33-word-post that causes you to believe that he did?
I believe he alluded to our government meddling in family matters more than that of the Italian government which encompasses much more than you are limiting your criticism of him to.
It’s not nice riding in here on your broomstick and then beating the first man over his head with it.
Comment by SicKofNZ — Wed 18th November 2009 @ 5:02 pm
Thanks for saying Italian culture respects children. Their statistics shows how government agencies make problems to solve problems. We can’t have NGO groups if we actually solve the issues now can we? 😀
Children in Italy
The majority of New Zealand parents don’t want children being abused. They don’t want paedophilia and they don’t want under-age girls prostituting on the streets and they don’t want child labour. In fact, the majority of parents want the best for their children.
The abused children in New Zealand are not being smacked. They are being thrown at walls, kicked, burned, put in dryers, punched in the face, strangled and other horrible sick actions.
Why are we not targeting the real abuse issues but instead targeting breaking up the family? Who is benefiting?
http://www.menz.org.nz/Support/smacking.htm
Comment by julie — Wed 18th November 2009 @ 5:24 pm
SickofNZ,
You are a funny guy and this was a good thing to say IMO.
Comment by julie — Wed 18th November 2009 @ 5:27 pm
Lol, I probably doubt Eliza would think it’s funny but pft. Humour is good for the soul 😀
Comment by SicKofNZ — Wed 18th November 2009 @ 5:30 pm
Isn’t interesting that people growing up before this anti smacking law came into effect have respect for the police, teaching was a good profession and children were generally polite to adults. Now, children laugh at the police. abuse and assult teachers and tell older people to ……… Well done the New Zealand Govt. you have managed to turn a once great country into a place where the inmates run the prisons, children run the homes and students run the schools. The law must be changed to give the power back to the parents, teachers and police.
Comment by Mal — Sun 1st August 2010 @ 10:40 am
All ‘power’ in the name of the children…i dont see the govt as having ‘reasons’ to do things…i see it as them making excuses to do things…like kids are the excuse for alot of things…kids are an excuse to strip ppl of money…i.e..child support…use ppl’s children as an excuse to control the adults…arsehole politicians think every1 should live life to thier ideals
Comment by Ford — Sun 1st August 2010 @ 10:53 am
With the youth of today, I wonder what will happen when they tell an MP to …… off. Having read more about this on the net, I am not surprised that NZers are leaving the country in droves. Yes there are laws internationally in Italy etc but I think that you will find that the parents have the power to deal with bad behaving children. Son parents are going to have enough of this and do something drastic like take their child to child services and say “Here, you deal with them.” Of the father who was arrested and charged after he shook his daughters shoulder, well for one, she’s a thief. She stole money from you. Report her to the police. If she doesn’t like the rules under your roof then kick her out. Tell her to go live on her own. Stop paying her school fees, tell her to buy her own clothes, and see what happens.
Bradford said that we have to respect the rights of the child. You forgot one golden rule there Sue. To get respect, you have to give respect.
Comment by Mal — Sun 1st August 2010 @ 11:13 am
I am was a teacher until a student beat me up. I couldn’t do anything. I complained but what good did that do. So I quit. I am now teaching overseas where students at least have respect for the teachers. If I ever saw that student on the street again though, I would walk up and smash them one.
Comment by Mal — Sun 1st August 2010 @ 11:16 am
parents hve less and less control..decision making is taken away by authorative agencies butting in and taking over where they see fit…less power and control for the parents but still get dumped with more and more rsponsibility tho
Comment by Ford — Sun 1st August 2010 @ 2:09 pm
Trying to solve child abuse by banning smacking makes about as much sense as trying to eradicate dandelions by letting the flowers go to seed and gathering up the seed pods by hand.
Comment by Russ — Thu 11th August 2011 @ 8:45 pm
I used to chase my son around the house waving the wooden spoon at him until one day aged about 4 he stopped and said “mum you can’t hit me with that”. “why” I asked. “Because it’s dirty” he said. I had been baking and it was covered in batter.
He is now 26 and still laughs at this. A clever vocal child he continually frustrated me and always knew how to wind me up. My threatening with the wooden spoon was all I could counter with.
I am so glad my children are now mid 20’s. The youth of today are lazy and they want it all without having to work for it.
I can’t wait to have grandchildren and be able to show them how much nana loves them by wielding the wooden spoon.
Spare the rod, spoil the child. Never a truer word was said.
By the by, both boys are well adjusted adults in normal relationships who will no doubt rule with a wooden spoon, unless they are dominated by their virago partners.
Comment by Toni — Thu 11th August 2011 @ 9:20 pm