Corporal Punishment is physical abuse like spanking, pulling, and punching which causes pain and discomfort. Usually, it is applied to minors, especially at home, schools, and institutions with the intention to correct their behaviors. 80% of the parents use corporal punishment with their children. In most cases, while hitting, parents or teachers are angry and they spank badly which may cause a major physical injury. Moreover, parents can become a source of stress instead of comfort.
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The topic of corporal punishment is a bit complicated as people all over the world have controversial views on it. While some countries have banned it completely, others still have corporal punishment legal. To learn more about the opposite approaches, check an essay about arguments against corporal punishment or just keep reading the article. Below, we’ll do the research the impact of corporal punishment on children and discuss whether it must be banned in all countries on a national level.
Legal or Not?
The Conventions on the Rights of the Child (CRC) banned corporal punishment in many countries, particularly Western ones. So, it’s illegal to hit children in public schools in most states, but the law is vague regarding private schools.
No federal laws ban corporal punishment in private schools, and there is no national statistics on how often it occurs.
But according to one survey, almost one-third of private school students have been physically punished by teachers or administrators at least once during the last year. That means they endured some form of physical discipline — from spanking to paddling — that left bruises or welts on their bodies.
It’s hard to list all the countries where corporal punishment is still legal. It is prohibited by law only in 51 countries, including Greece, Slovenia, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Albania, and Ukraine. As you can understand, over 100 countries don’t have appropriate legislation.
The lack of regulation makes it hard for families to know whether or not their child will be subjected to corporal punishment at school. The only way for parents to know for sure is if they ask — and even then, there is no guarantee their child will receive a straight answer from an administrator or teacher at the school.
Three Major Effects of Corporal Punishment On Child’s Psyche
When a child commits a mistake it is intuitive that you have to correct them.
Punishing them is among the things that cross your mind. However, have you stopped and thought about the effects of this? Below are three main damages caused by corporal punishment on your child’s psyche.
- It causes internalizing behaviors
Corporal punishment has a direct effect on internalizing behaviors of your child. They withdraw socially from their peers. Develop internalized negative emotions. It makes them unhappy, sad, demotivated, worried, and scared. They lose their psyche in the things they loved doing like games and hobbies. Often this goes unnoticed by parents.
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- Development of internalizing disorder
With the unnoticed internalizing behaviors, it leads to a disorder. An example is an eating disorder where your child loses the desire to eat and this is where you may start noticing that something is amiss. They may also have suicidal thoughts or actual suicide attempts.
- Low academic achievement
Education is another part that is affected. Your child loses the desire to learn, being unmotivated in school and performing poorly.
Corporal punishment may seem to be a quick fix when correcting your child. But unfortunately, it comes with a lot of detrimental effects in the long run. So you shouldn’t even ask yourself “Is hitting your child legal?”
Why Corporal Punishment Must Be Banned
Infliction of physical pain as punishment is known as corporal punishment. It has never been proven as a useful method of disciplining, on the contrary, it has negative effects on a child’s mental nurturing. There are a number of reasons why corporal punishment must be banned in all schools all over the world. Here are some of them:
Violence Is Never The Answer
First and foremost, it is a form of violence. When students are hit, they feel pain. This pain can lead to physical injuries, such as bruises and broken bones. It can also lead to psychological injuries, such as anxiety and depression. In some cases, it can even lead to suicide.
It Does Not Work
Second, corporal punishment doesn’t work. It does not teach children how to behave properly. Instead, it teaches them that violence is an acceptable way to solve problems. As they grow older, they may start using violence themselves in order to resolve conflicts. This could have disastrous consequences, both for them and for those around them.
It Has Long-Term Effects On The Child’s Health
Corporal punishment can have long-term effects on children. Studies have shown that it can lead to lower self-esteem, poorer academic performance, and even aggressive behavior. In other words, it can do more harm than good.
For all these reasons, it is clear that corporal punishment must be banned in all schools all over the world. It is time for us to put an end to this outdated and harmful practice once and for all. Let’s give our children the education they deserve—an education that is free from violence.
