The special issue on prevention of violence ignores the primordial violence.

I was startled, even though I should not have been, to receive the special issue on “Finding A Common Agenda For Preventing Child Maltreatment, Youth Violence, and Domestic Violence” (Vol. 19, No. 3, 2004). I was startled because none of the articles covered what the research clearly indicates is the primordial violence—slapping and spanking by parents. Failing to address these legal and culturally approved forms of violent socialization is a major gap in primary prevention of violence because a great deal of empirical research shows that