"Denmark law bans parents spanking kidsCOPENHAGEN, Denmark - By the slimmest of margins, Denmark joined its Nordic neighbors Wednesday in prohibiting parents from spanking their children or using other kinds of corporal punishment.
After a heated debate in the parliament, the bill squeaked by in a 51-50 vote.
Opponents contend that the measure is too intrusive. Tove Fergo of the Liberal Party said the law will "criminalize" parents using normal methods to raise their children.
There was no immediate word on when the law will take effect or what the penalties will be for violators.
Sweden, Norway and Finland have also banned spanking. (AP)"
EPOCH-USA had already counted Denmark as prohibiting corporal punishment of children (based on EPOCH-WORLDWIDE's report). An amendment to the Majority Act - January 1, l986, in the Danish Act on Parental Custody and Conviviality No. 387, Sec. 2, subsec. 2, stated "Parental custody implies the obligation to protect the child against physical and psychological violence and other harmful treatment". In l984, before that was passed, a poll found only 25% of Danes in favor of prohibiting parental use of physical punishment and 68 percent against abolition.
Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Cyprus and Italy are the seven nations counted as having banned corporal punishment of children. The number of nations prohibitting corporal punishment in public education is much larger; the very few who do not include the U.S., Canada, and parts of Australia.
Denmark signed the UN General Assembly "Convention on the Rights of the Child" on 26 January, 1990 and ratified the document on 19 July, 1991. The United States also signed it (16 February, 1995) but has not yet ratified it in Congress.
Convention on the Rights of the Child
* Signatories: 140. Parties: 190
Declaration of the Rights of the Child