Over half of all children under-18 worldwide continue to experience corporal punishment on an annual basis, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Corporal punishment refers most frequently to hitting children but can refer to any punishments inflicted by parents, caregivers or teachers which are intended to cause some degree of discomfort. It can happen in the home or in more public settings like the school classroom. But wherever it happens, this sort of punishment has wide-ranging effects, including increased risk of anxiety and depression in addition to reduced cognitive and socio-emotional development. “[Corporal punishment] offers no benefits to the behaviour, development or well-being of children and no benefit to parents or societies either,” said Etienne Krug, director of WHO’s department of health determinants.
Over past decades, many studies have examined the effects of corporal punishment, and not one has found that it has a positive impact on children or their behaviour. In contrast, many have found that it has many long-term negative health impacts on children as individuals – and societies as a whole. “There is now overwhelming scientific evidence that corporal punishment carries multiple risks to the health of children,” Ms. Krug said.
A study conducted across 49 low and middle-income countries found that children who are corporally punished are 24 per cent less likely to be developmentally on track with their peers. In addition to causing immediate physical harm, this form of punishment heightens children’s hormonal stress levels which can actually change brain structure and function. In short, the impacts on an individual level can be life-long, according to the report.
From a societal perspective, children who are themselves physically punished are also more likely to do the same to their own offspring, creating an intergenerational cycle of violence. Similarly, adults who were corporally punished as children are more likely to develop violent, criminal and aggressive behaviours. “The practice [of corporal punishment] also fuels a broader social acceptance of violence, reinforcing harmful cycles across generations,” the report said.
There is no evidence that corporal punishment is effective at changing children’s behaviours. While corporal punishment is prevalent across the world and across cultures, regional variations do persist. For example, in Europe and Central Asia, approximately 41 per cent of children are subjected to corporal punishment in homes compared to 75 per cent in the Middle East and North Africa.
Source: The News UN
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