I won't call this a "spanking." According to the Dastardly Dictionary, it's automatically a beating or assault when you leave bruises.
Note that UNNAMED STEPDAD falls into several common themes here. 1) He was doing "caretaking" for the first time since his wife was on bedrest for a high-risk pregnancy; and 2) He was completely unable to deal with mundane tasks that mothers do everyday, like toilet training, without becoming violent. The fact that this was a "special needs" child, of course, merely fed his "frustration" further. But you see the same violent reaction from way too many dads with younger "non-special needs" kids in the potty training stage. Go the the diapers/potty training tab for a plethora of abuser dad stories with this theme.
There are a some wonderful men who have the patience and ability to care for babies, toddlers, and special needs kids. And frankly, there are many more who should just get a job and leave the baby tending to Mom, Auntie, and Grandma.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705346963/Salem-step-father-arrested-in-abuse.html
Salem man arrested in spanking stepson
Published: Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009 6:16 p.m. MST
SALEM — Police arrested a man who they say spanked his disabled stepson hard enough to leave bruises.
Police were called to the Mt. Loafer Elementary School in Salem on Monday after a nurse noticed several bruises and abrasions on the buttocks and lower back of a 5-year-old boy, according to a police report filed in 4th District Court.
The nurse had been changing the diaper of the special-needs boy and called administrators, who photographed the bruises, then called police.
Officers visited the boy's home and talked with the stepfather, who said he had been taking care of the child because the child's mother was on bed rest due to pregnancy, the report states.
The man said he was trying to potty train the child and became upset and spanked the boy because it is "hard to deal with a child with special needs," according to the report.
The stepfather was arrested for investigation of child abuse of a disabled child and released by a judge Tuesday with the caveat that he not impose any physical punishment on any of his stepchildren.
The Division of Child and Family Services also met with the family to create a "safety plan," the report states.
— Sara Israelsen-Hartley