What is Corporal Punishment?

Corporal punishment is a method of physical discipline intended to cause pain to a person. When it’s inflicted on minors, especially in home and school settings, its methods may include spanking or caning.

Corporal punishment or violent discipline by caregivers is the most common form of violence against children. Worldwide, 4 out of 5 children aged 2 to 14 are affected by corporal punishment. This happens in many basic settings – at home, in the classroom, in childcare, and in juvenile detention centres. And today, 86% of children in the world are not legally protected from this practice.

While corporal punishment can lead to immediate obedience, researchers have found that the behavioural changes may only be short-term. Studies consistently show that corporal punishment is ineffective in the long run and may even cause behaviour problems to worsen over time.

For example, hitting children reinforces aggressive behaviour. A variety of research studies have found that children who are hit are more likely to hit other people. The reason is simple. Physical punishment models aggressive behaviour, which teaches children to use violence to solve problems. It can also lead to bullying, dating violence, and other problem behaviours that involve having power over others.

Spanking and other physical punishment damage the relationship between children and their parents or caregivers. Here are some reasons why corporal punishment shouldn’t be tolerated by any society:

It is a form of child abuse
It can increase aggression
Antisocial behaviour
Physical injury
Mental health issues
Poor educational outcomes
Perpetration of violence
Lack of acceptance by peers
Depression Disorder
Psychological Damage

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, or would like to learn more about corporal punishment in Thailand please email info@childlinethailand.org or contact us via social media https://www.facebook.com/childlinethailand https://twitter.com/saidek1387