Hitting a spouse is domestic abuse, hitting an animal is animal cruelty, but spanking children is somehow discipline. 

Children are the most vulnerable and innocent people in this world. When you have a child, you have a responsibility. Not just to provide for them, or to love them, but to keep them safe. They look to us to protect them, so why is it that the people they love and trust the most are able to harm them under the guise of "teaching a lesson".

This is more than just a strong opinion, new research and studies shown by child psychologists show that spanking is harmful to children psychologically. It can disrupt their brain pattern, and puts them in a fight or flight mode. It also increases the chances of committing suicide, self-harming, risky behaviors, and drug use in the future. All of the evidence in recent years shows that it does more harm than good.

It's time to do better for the population that can't stand up for themselves. That cannot protect themselves. That cannot "just leave". We have a voice for a reason and there should be outcry that there are children crying themselves to sleep at night because the adults in their life cannot parent without harming them. We should be angry, but more important we should enact change. There are many countries now where spanking in any form is illegal. It's time for America to follow their lead and do what is best for our children.

And if you have spanked before, it's not too late to do your research, apologize to your children, and learn from it. We have a duty as parents, grandparents, and other close family members to do what is best for our kids. It's time to stand up and speak up for the voiceless. Corporal punishment = child abuse, and every child deserves to be safe.

The goal with this petition is to rally signatures to bring to the attention of a state Senator. This is the first step to enacting change.