England and Wales have been campaigning for a change in the law to end parents’ rights to use physical punishment with their children. However, the outcome of these debates has been disappointing. Through a review of five international articles from Germany, England, Scotland, and Africa, this journal editorial explains how attitudinal and behavioral change can occur through not only legislation but through guidance. The first article on the ban on corporal punishment by parents discusses how change in this field of child protection is a process and that campaign and debate play a key role. It is emphasized through the second article from England on the needs of child witnesses that there is the need to coordinate legislation and guidance across government departments and services. The third paper from Scotland continues the theme of exploring the impact of legislation and guidance by examining the extent to which guidance on professional practice in the field of child sexual abuse is translated into action. The fourth and fifth articles, from the United Kingdom and Africa respectively, focus on sexual abuse and the need for attitudinal and behavioral change due to evidence showing the potential for children who are abused to develop careers as abusers and the lack of awareness and response to those male children who are sexually abused. References