There is tons of evidence. Please cut and paste some of it here on this thread? So I can get Just Asking's approval for them to be OUSTED.
There have been several other questions of this nature but they go back further than I've been able to track.
There is always a risk that such questions are asked with the wrong kind of ulterior motive,
or that some responders will attempt to take the discussion in an unhealthy direction.
So it is up to us Muggers to report any post that sounds an intuitive alarm in our guts.
The ToS is sufficient to make the boundaries clear.
Personally, I am against spanking for any reason at any time.
However, there is a consensus among most psychologists about extremely limited spanking. They say that if the spank is delivered without anger, once only with the flat of the hand to the bum cheek, to a pre-verbal toddler for the purpose of reinforcing a "no" when trying to urgently avert danger (ie child is running too close to fire, deep water, busy road, etc) then and only then it is ok. (Even then, I would sooner grab the child and pull it away.) Widespread research and metastudies have proven that in any other circumstance, corporal punishment is at best useless as a form of discipline and very often results in covert or overt rebellion.
I say this, in part, to demonstrate that talking about the issues can be a useful way to overcome the old Biblical maxim, "spare the rod and spoil the child," which is the root excuse used for many criminal cases of child abuse.
There is definitely a valid role for discussing controversial issues - it is part of how society changes and evolves towards more functional customs.
I would go further and assert that we need to re-examine the very concept of punishment itself - because exerting power over someone is not the most effective way to help them grow into an empathic, honest, kind and responsible person. New and proven techniques do exist and are easy to find for parents looking for alternatives (PET is one, NVC is another.)
There is a group on aM called "Prospanking Parents." There have sometimes been dubious photos and questions asked there and I believe it probably needs to be monitored every day.