I think batters need to be protected from being thrown at but many hitters do lean into pitches, even into the strike zone and rarely get called back. I would like it not counting as a HP if the ball is inside the batters box line.
If it goes through the batters box it is a bad pitch but I think inside edge to the inside line of the box should be fair game. However you got to have the command for that, if one in three inside pitches go through the box (occasionally is ok but not often) you can't pitch inside.