The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child defines corporal or physical punishment "as any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light.” The Committee claims that most commonly, this entails striking or hitting children with a hand or object but it can also include, for instance, neglecting their health needs, pinching, scratching, pulling hair, kicking, burning, etc.
There are non-physical types of punishment, which overlap with physical punishment and can be cruel and humiliating, that are also prohibited under the Convention. These include things that demean, humiliate, threaten, frighten or make fun of them.
The use of corporal punishment results in negative psychological and physiological reactions. In addition to experiencing pain, grief, fear, rage, humiliation, and guilt, children who feel threatened also undergo physiological stress and have their neurological pathways for coping with danger activated. The biological systems of physically punished children are often overworked, including the neurological, cardiovascular, and nutritional systems, as well as altered in terms of form and function.
The widely quoted claim that less severe forms of physical punishment are not detrimental is undermined by the fact that spanking is also associated with abnormal brain activity similar to that of more severe maltreatment.
Numerous studies relate physical punishment to a wide range of detrimental results, both short- and long-term:
direct physical harm, which can occasionally result in severe injury
permanent disability, or death
mental illness, such as anxiety and behavioral disorders, depression, hopelessness, low self-esteem, self-harm, and suicide attempts
alcohol and drug dependence
hostility
emotional instability, which persists into adulthood
impaired cognitive and socioemotional development, particularly emotion regulation and conflict resolution skills
damage to education, including school-related damage
There are a number of successful and promising interventions, such as:
Putting into effect and upholding legislation that forbids corporal punishment
Aiming to raise awareness, change attitudes toward non-violent childrearing, and define the duties of parents in their caregiving roles, such laws guarantee that children are as protected under the law against assault as adults and have an instructional rather than punitive function
Programs to change negative societal norms around child upbringing and child discipline.
Support for parents and caregivers in the development of kind, non-violent parenting through informational and skill-building programs.
Interventions in education and life skills are used to develop the bonds between students, teachers, and administrators as well as to create a pleasant school atmosphere and a violent-free environment.
Early detection and care of child victims, as well as support services for their families, are important for reducing the likelihood of recurrence.
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