17 Jul 2008

CAN YOU HELP US

‘SLEDGEHAMMER’

A FEW MYTHS

Myth #1 : There have been no prosecutions under the new anti-smacking law

FALSE

Myth #2 : The anti-smacking law has not resulted in good parents being investigated and interrogated by the police or CYF

FALSE

We have evidence of a number of examples that expose these myths, including:

* a father separated from his 2 kids for 6 months by CYF because of malicious claims by mother that he had smacked them – CYF eventually reallowed access but only due to a strong supporter who knew the system
* a father prosecuted and convicted because of pushing the upper arm of his daughter 2-3 times and demanding she listen to her mother
* a grandfather prosecuted and convicted because of tipping his defiant grandson out of a bean bag-type chair to get him moving
* a father dragged through the court process only to turn up to the court case and the police to admit they had no evidence
* a stepfather who physically restrained the arms of his stepdaughter being interrogated for 2 hours almost 7 months after the incident, and 6 months later still not knowing the outcome
* a CYFs Community Panel Board member telling Family First “I can say without a doubt, that in my time I have seen a small but a definite increase in ‘good’ parents being investigated by our CYFs case workers – up to 5% of our cases. Any child who mentions to a school teacher that they have been smacked or touched in any physical way is brought under investigation and their names are indelibly logged onto our data base as a potential ‘abuser’ . I really feel sorry for these ‘good parents’ because of the fear that we as an organisation now engendering upon their parenting practise. Sadly good parents are being lumped in together with the really bad ones.”

NZ’ers deserve to be told

the truth.

WOULD YOU CONSIDER HELPING FUND FULL PAGE

ADS IN SUNDAY STAR TIMES and NZ HERALD

(giving nationwide coverage)

We need to raise $13-14,000 by the beginning of next week to achieve this.

If you would like to invest in helping us ‘SLEDGEHAMMER THE MYTHS’

CLICK HERE

Every little bit helps . (All donations qualify for the 33% tax donation rebate.)

Thanks for your support and consideration. We must do all we can to defend the role of parents and the well-being of our children and families in NZ.

Bob McCoskrie
National Director

www.familyfirst.org.nz

To read an excellent article on the Smith Family’s own story in a recent issue of The Listener click on the link below:
http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3463/features/7079/love_correction.html>