You can’t spank your children… but the government can
Last Friday, on the 26th, a married couple with three children was sentenced to nine months in prison for gross violation of integrity, a crime that has a maximum sentence of six years, for having spanked their children as part of their upbringing them. The district prosecutor had called for a year in prison each and is considering appealing the verdict. For the story in English, see http://www.thelocal.se/30466/20101127/.
No evidence of the children having suffered any physical or psychological harm was presented, and the court states that “Nothing else has become evident than that the parents – apart from the actions addressed in the case – have had a loving and caring relationship to their children.” The parents had intentionally used spanking as a way of raising their children, as the third option after having discussed transgressions with their children.