Of course the unfounded cases do not get counted within these statistics, because we simply don't know the numbers, better to say the truth of what we know than assume and guess. All of these cases were proved cases.
As I said, I knew this would happen, but this just might help one person, who just sees it, by chance, and that's what I want, to help someone. Even if it's not many
In some cases of physical abuse its necessary i.e. spanking or belting. Perfect case is in my own family. I was hit with switches, extension cords, a fist on one occasion, belts, leather strips, the list goes on. Looking back, I absolutely deserved most of those, especially the fist. But my two younger sisters are not disciplined this way, and the difference in attitude toward adults and others is vast between us. I'm mostly respectful to those older than me and to my peers, and keep a (almost) clean environment where one of them has no respect and the other is basically a slob. I'm not saying physical punishment is necessary to raising children but it worked well enough for me even if I didn't respect the method at the time.
Kappa, physical abuse and CONTROLLED discipline is different, there is a very thin line, but they are different.
Child abuse is horrible, my mother has been a social worker for over 30 years so I've seen how it affects her dealing with it. That being said, I was spanked as a child and it taught me respect for others. I don't think there is a really a thin line....I think that's honestly what's wrong with our generation is people are afraid to discipline because of the stigma surrounding physical discipline. Should you beat your child until they bruise and not feed them? No. Should you pull your child out of a hot bath after they ruined a Christmas surprise for your husband and leave your hand print on their booty? Sure. Nothing wrong with a little tough love. The issue comes in when you leave permanent marks or bruises, not a simple handprint on the misbehaving child's butt.
I find it to be abuse when the first thing the parent does is hit the child without talking to them. I've been in a household where this one child was constantly "disciplined" for something. Words need to be used first to reach a child. Constant spankings can have a negative affect as it did with this child.