Equal Protection: duty to raise awareness on abolition of the defence of reasonable chastisement comes into force

Date: 10th December 2019
Category: Equal protection from violence

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The duty on Scottish Ministers came into force on 8th November 2019.

The  Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Act 2019 aims to end the physical punishment of children by parents or carers by removing the legal defence of ‘justifiable assault’ (or ‘reasonable chastisement’) which allows parents to physically punish their children provided they do not hit them around the head, use an implement or shake them.

The abolition of the defence will come into force on 7th November 2020.

The Scottish Ministers are obliged to take appropriate steps to promote public awareness and understanding about its effect.

• Read the Act.
• Read more about the Act and Together’s response to the consultation.