This is child abuse not reasonable force by way of correction:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4620389a11.html

Mum beat girl, terrorised her with knife

Wednesday, 16 July 2008

A Tauranga mother, who repeatedly beat her 12-year-old daughter and once held a knife to her throat because of “back-chatting” and behavioural problems, has been sentenced to home detention.

In Tauranga District Court yesterday, Judge Stan Thorburn told Lucille Nelson, 41, who in May pleaded guilty to charges of assault on a child and assault with a stabbing weapon, that ordinarily her offending would have attracted a prison sentence.

But in imposing home detention he took into account that Nelson was contrite, admitted her wrongdoing and accepted that she needed help.

“Clearly there was a hugely complicated family situation, which lucky for the little girl is now out in the open, some of which pertains to her father,” he said.

“The burden on this little girl’s life from this must have been absolutely horrendous. . . Hopefully over time you can start to reconstruct your relationship with your daughter.”

Judge Thorburn told Nelson that while on home detention, she would undertake a “comprehensive set” of rehabilitation programmes including one on anger-management and would have to fulfil her parental obligations as directed by Child, Youth and Family (CYF).

During her sentence Nelson must abstain from alcohol and non-prescribed drugs.

According to the police summary of facts, on October 17 the victim was living with her mother, father and siblings.

The girl confided to a teacher at her school that she was beaten regularly by her mother and CYF was notified.

Two days later the victim disclosed to a CFY interviewer that from the start of January 2007 Nelson began giving her numerous beatings, punching her around the head, legs and arms with a clenched fist.

As a result she received minor bruises and was sore for days and would wear long-sleeved tops and trousers to hide the bruises.

On one occasion last year she said her mother came into her room holding a knife, pushed her on to the bed, climbed on top of her and put the knife to her throat.

When her father came into the room, Nelson got off her and the little girl was able to escape.

When spoken to by police in February, Nelson admitted she sometimes hit her daughter with a fist or open hand with such force that it hurt her hand but said she did so because the girl back-chatted her and had behavioural problems.

– NZPA