Letter to Legislator About Protecting Children From Physical Harm Download: Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word Date ____ Honorable _______________ (Address of state legislature or federal legislature)   Dear Representative or Senator; Devices to beat children should not be advertised and sold in my country. I hope that you will introduce such a bill and aggressively support it. More than 20 countries do not allow anyone to hit children.  It is sad that we sanction in law the hitting of children while billions of dollars are spent on child abuse prevention and treatment, children fall between the cracks of institutions designed to protect them and rates of abuse continue at high levels. In MA, almost 6000 children were physically abused in 2003 (US Department of HHS). (Note to writer of letter – See for current stats on physical abuse for your state at http://www.stophitting.com/laws/stateLegislation.php) A recent study published in the American Academy of Pediatrics Journal suggests that physical abuse of children may be 40 times the number of confirmed reports.  Many of these abuses start with discipline with instruments. I look forward to hearing from you.  Thank you for your interest in protecting children. Please see http://www.stophitting.org for laws, alternatives, and status of child corporal punishment in our country and others. Please call or email the Center for Effective Discipline if you have questions. Tel. (614)221-8829. Email: info@stophitting.org Sincerely,     <<< Back