Pope Francis' smacking comments drew fire. Photo / AP
Pope Francis' smacking comments drew fire. Photo / AP
A New Zealander who advises Pope Francis on combating sexual abuse has criticised the pontiff's support of smacking children.
Dr Krysten Winter-Green, who is based in Boston and works with abused young people, said there was no type of corporal punishment for children that was acceptable.
Dr Winter-Green has servedin dioceses around the world with homeless persons and those living with Aids. She specialises in areas of child abuse that include forensics, assessment and treatment of priest/clergy offenders.
Pope Francis said it was okay for parents to spank their children if their dignity was respected.
"One time, I heard a father say, 'I sometimes have to smack my children a bit, but never in the face so as to not humiliate them'," the Pope said. "How beautiful!"
But members of the Pope's newly established sex abuse commission criticised his remarks, saying: "You don't hit kids."
The 17-member Vatican commission said it would make recommendations to the papacy on protecting children from corporal punishment as a result of his remarks.
Commission member Peter Saunders, who was sexually abused by a priest as a teen, said the Pope should revise his comments, given that "millions of children around the world are beaten every day".
