30 April 2007

NZ Experts Reject American Advice

Family Violence experts in New Zealand have rejected advice from American Robert Larzelere, brought out by the religious right to oppose repeal of Section 59.

Stopping Violence Services rejects any evidence that hitting is good for children.

"We work day in and day out with men who come to stopping violence programmes to learn new behaviour. The vast majority of these men experienced violence as children," Brian Gardner, national manager National Network of Stopping Violence, said.

"They tell us that violence is all they've known. The programme is very often the first time they have ever considered other ways of behaving when faced with conflict or disappointment.

"We know that violence breeds violence and that any kind of physical discipline is experienced as violence by children."

Mr Gardner referred to an Otago University study released last year which found that adults who had been smacked as children reported that it didn't work and that other methods such as withdrawal of privileges were much more effective.

"Section 59 sends the wrong message to children and to parents. We commend the Government for taking leadership on this issue and saying New Zealanders need to stop using violence.

"Any expert will tell you that violence is learned behaviour and is passed on from one generation to another.

"Let's listen to our own experts, they see how violence contaminates families in every neighbourhood in New Zealand."

Mr Gardner said the United States has a very poor record on child abuse, along with New Zealand. "This doesn't give me confidence in their strategies for reducing child abuse and bring children up to live non-violently."

The National Network of Stopping Violence is a network of 33 agencies providing stopping violence programmes for men and support for women and children who have experienced domestic violence.

ENDS

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