International SpankOut Day was initiated in 1998 by EPOCH-USA to bring widespread attention to the need to end physical punishment of children and to provide educational information to parents and caregivers about non-violent alternatives. Over 500 informational events and programmes have been held in the US and in other countries where it is sometimes called "no hitting day", "no smacking day" or "day of non-violence for children". The Canadian Children's Rights Council would like to have 365 "SpankOut Days" each year. Spanking is not an effective form of discipline, even though some people may think it is. Spanking can lead to anger and resentment and can cause children to lose trust in their parents. Spanking teaches that hitting others is okay. In the long run, spanking makes children's behaviour worse, not better.