Depends. Talk to anyone who works for cps/ cfs and they'll let ya know. Children being starved, beaten, molested, and other abusive atrocities. Sometimes its necessary, sometimes its not. If in the case of abuse, in any form, a child's safety comes first. I would rather save a child. Maybe thats just instinct. If an adult is hurting a kid they get no sympathy from me. If you hit you're kid you should be ashamed of yourself.

If a kid is growing up in an abusive environment it needs to be reported, and whomever is their abuser needs to go to prison for it. I will not waiver this opinion. If you're a fully grown adult, and you're picking on younger, and beating them, then you deserve no mercy. Someone will teach you that one day.