The fine line between child abuse and disciplinary action?

I don't believe anybody should be slapped to be multiple times as a form of disiplinary action. I was always disiplined be having to go cut a switch and had it on my backside a few times. And for a young child a slap on the hand when they are getting into something they shouldn't. But slapped across the face I don't agree with.

I would definitely call this abuse! As a kid my parents used spanking as their main disciplinary tool. We were spanked with either a yard stick, razor strap, or their hands, depending on what we did and how mad they were. While it was pretty harsh and not particularly effective it wasn't considered abuse by most peope at the time (60's-early 70's). When I got to be a teenager and a bit mouthy (I considered it standing up for myself) my dad crossed the line into abuse and started whipping me with his belt. I would go to school dreading that someone would see the marks on my legs and at the same time wishing that someone would see and do something.