First of all, you are more than aware of the difference between abuse and spanking.
It is all clearly defined by law and anything other than a parents hand is considered a weapon. Nor is spanking illeagal "but" it can only be done with the hand and on the butt, anywhere else or with anything else is assult.
And the reason your mother got away with it is because "you" did not pick up the phone and report it.
The law always goes way overboard, same goes for most adults.
The reason child experts have stopped commenting is because as they've said "Parents are more out of control than the kids, anything the experts say or give advice is taken way out of context and ridiculesly stretched out of proportion.
Example: Every kid lies, it's part of being a kid and learning right from wrong.
So when experts said believe your child in relation to sexual abuse, they explained a small kid using adult words/descriptions to sexual exploits or body parts is a dead give away and that child should be believed.
But the law and parents/adults everywhere, got right out of control and convicted ppl on a childs word alone for everything. And what of the whole daycare center owners, families and employees 38 in all sentenced to prison for 15-20yrs on out rages accusations of child abuse.
Devil worship, dressing up in costumes, rape of 3 and 4yr olds by full grown men like that wouldn't leave a mark or signs is totally ridiculas. Once these kids grew up and told the truth that cops had told them what to say/put words in their mouths and against who.
"NOTHING" was done, because only "ADULTS" lie, no kid has ever told a lie!!! Fact is, there are many many in jail with these accusations and when the truth finally comes out, they ***'s are still in jail for yrs.
And when the law does realize they have made a mistake and free's them, the aid doesn't give back their kids thats another 6yr $40.000 up front for the lawyer fight, the law does not correct the damage it's done, nor do they charge those who actually are guilty, ESPECIALLY cops who are suppose to up hold the law, most are no better than criminals.
And as far as abusive parents go, "what goes around, does come around" studies have proved that not only is elder parent abuse on the rise, but these are the same adult kids that were taught as children to handle problems/frustration physically.
Yes, my friend, what you teach your kids only comes back to your own doorstep when their too old to handle it or protect themselves.
Studies also prove that a boy raised without a father, or even a grandfather who can step in and take dads place, a kid who's never seen how a dad acts are more likely to abuse his kids. They are more likely to desert their families, not hold jobs well, have no clue as to child rearing, are more stressed/frustrated with kids and don't handle life to well at all running from one woman to another and having "more" kids only to repeat the damage and pay child support to none.
One must remember, that every little kid in the worlds first example of how to be a parent, how to behave, how to rear kids/run a household,
how to handle problems and the difference between right and wrong, is all set by example. To a child, a parent is never wrong, has all the answers, knows what their doing, we know for fact even an abused child will lie for their parents especially if their told the law will take them away, that's how a parent often gets the kid to lie by scaring them to death with being taken away and that's more terrifying than any beating could ever be.
As for domestic violence a new study came out last Sept that says for all those charged with domestic violence against women, less than half are true.