The French National Assembly adopted the amendment to the bill about equality and civil rights, thus changing the Civil Code.

From now on, any physical abuse against a child (even a simple spank) will be considered as inadmissible, the International French radio RFI reported.

The amendment to the Civil Code (CC) provides for excluding any cruel, degrading or humiliating, including any use of physical violence”. In spite of the fact that the amendment formally does not attract automatic punishment for its violation, the French human rights activists consider its adoption as a very important step.

In France, where light violence for educational purposes is still considered acceptable, it becomes the cause of death of 400 to 600 children from abuse each year.

The French Senate still has to adopt the amendment to the Civil |Code.