Ten Good Reasons to Abolish Corporal Punishment:
1) Corporal punishment inevitably traumatises the child;- it is
invariably harmful to their psychological welfare.
2) No rationally defensible distinction can truly be made between
physical abuse and "physical discipline".
3) Evidence is mounting regarding the long term deleterious
effects of child physical abuse/ punishment/ discipline.
4) Corporal punishment inflicted upon or near to erogenous zones
of the child's body can be sexually abusive and cause problematic
associations for them.
5) Children have a moral right to develop in an environment free
from violence.
6) Domestic violence is no longer protected by law In our society
unless that violence is inflicted upon a child. We have enacted
legislation which protects partners from spousal violence but none
which protects many vulnerable children from the physical violence of
corporal punishment.
7) Corporal punishment imposes a poor model for handling
conflict.
8) Corporal punishment is counter-productive because it fosters
hostility and resentment which often later gains expression in
violence towards others.
9) The growing number of countries which have now outlawed
corporal punishment of children have retrospectively attained
overwhelming public support for this legislation. Legislation has
proven effective in altering societal attitudes toward the use of
physical force in childrearing.
10) Children have no power under the law to promote this
legislation on their own behalf. They are dependent upon child
advocates to lobby for legislative change. As a society we will be
judged by how well we protect our most vulnerable and defenseless
citizens. Lets stop violence against children!