Parents have a right to discipline their children.
Simply spanking is not child abuse. However, tissue damage such as bruises, welts, or lacerations may be signs of child abuse. Injuries such as these, not resulting from an accident, must be investigated. Oregon's mandatory reporting law requires public and private officials, including teachers, health professionals, police officers and day care providers to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Together, mandatory reporters accounted for 75 percent of the 34,675 child-abuse reports SCF received in 1999.