Spanking
- This article is about the punishment. For spanking as erotic activity, see erotic spanking. For punishment as an erotic activity, see BDSM.
Spanking or smacking is a traditional form of corporal punishment, in particular of children but also, especially in the past, of wives and women. Spanking (not beating), by today's definition, consists of striking the buttocks repeatedly, with either an open hand or various implements including a belt, martinet, switch, hairbrush or paddle. However in its most common usage as a means of disciplining children, spanking usually refers to a child laying, stomach down, across the parent's lap -misleadingly referred to as taking a child 'over the knee'- and the parent repeatedly swatting the child's backside. It is generally believed that this is the safest manner in which to spank since striking a standing child could cause back injury. Spanking advocates argue that the buttocks are the safest place to administer corporal punishment since it produces a sharp stinging pain but injury is unlikely. Some child specialists say that if a parent must administer a spanking they shouldn't do it in anger--and only as a last resort when other forms of discipline had failed.
Spanking is generally considered corrective punishment, with no intention of permanent injury; however, such intentions do not always have their desired result. There are questions over what level of pain is appropriate until it crosses the threshold into abuse. Up until the mid 20th century it was perfectly acceptable in most communities for a spanking to cause a child to cry in pain throughout and have trouble sitting down afterward. Today some would consider that abusive, though others would call it effective discipline.
Spankings may be delivered over clothing, over the undergarments only, or upon the bare buttocks in increasing order of intended pain, and potential humiliation. Some parents in modern-day Western societies consider the latter to be inappropriate, but there are those who feel that the humiliation of exposing one's bare buttocks is a legitimate part of the child's punishment.
Spanking is a hotly debated social issue in many countries. Questions exist as to whether children should be spanked, whether it is an effective method of discipline, and whether it constitutes child abuse.
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The argument for spanking
Those who accept spanking often frame the issue as a matter of parental rights, stating that parents have the right to raise their children in the way they consider most appropriate. They also hold there is little evidence that moderate spanking is harmful. Further, many believe that discipline problems among children have recently increased, and partially attribute the increase to the decline of both parental authority and the use of spanking. Proponents of spanking also argue that moderate spanking is simple and effective, especially compared to non-spanking disciplines proposed by both academic psychologists and parents which may rely upon complicated or unrealistic methods that are often not implemented successfully.
Another argument used by proponents of spanking is that proper and effective spankings cause only temporary pain and no damage. It has been claimed that when parents and children are engaged in a prolonged struggle for authority, the anger and bitterness that results can cause an emotional estrangement that far outweighs any possible negative effects from moderate spankings.
Some advocates for spanking come from a behaviorist point of view, and argue that spanking is a form of operant conditioning, whereby the child associates a certain behaviour with the physical pain and/or humiliation caused by spanking. Since a child's learning process is believed to be less complex than that of an adult, they claim that children are more likely to be influenced by such a conditioning.
Additionally, there is a widespread and deep skepticism among pro-spankers of all the arguments against spanking, and a general feeling that the practice of spanking recalcitrant children has proven its worth over a period of many centuries. They believe that the bias against spanking is arbitrary and an improper application of egalitarian principles to what they claim is an inherently unequal social relationship.
Many advocates of spanking also claim that it is sanctioned in parts of the Bible, and therefore an acceptable punishment from a moral or religous point of view.
Arguments against spanking
Anti-spanking advocates make a number of arguments against spanking, on a number of grounds: chiefly that spanking is abusive, that it is ineffective, and that it teaches children that physical violence is an acceptable way to deal with other people ("might makes right"). It is also possible that this may contribute to physical abuse in cases of bullying at school and physical abuse on siblings in family battles that occour between the children. Many cases of bullying at school has been linked to physical abuse cases.
Opponents of spanking note that what is considered chastisement for a child would be considered assault when carried out on an adult. For example, it is now considered domestic violence for a man to physically chastise his wife or for a wife to chastise a man in many nations. Some hold that, in time, the act of spanking a child will be regarded in the same way: indeed, in some nations, this is already the case. (See below.)
The boundary between spanking and abuse is difficult for even traditionalists to define. Two commonly accepted guides are that the parent doing the spanking must not feel anger at the child or satisfaction at the act of spanking, and that the spanking must not leave any marks or injury. Opponents suggest that both of these may be rationalizations, or a slippery slope. However, it doesn't seem to be possible for the parent to avoid showing anger or for the child to believe that the parent is not angry at them, as it is reasonable to assume someone is angry when they are hitting you.
Opponents also hold that spanking is ineffective and that other forms of discipline are more successful at teaching a child to behave properly. Also, unlike taking away a child's favorite toy, spanking is permanent and cannot be reversed if it is determined that it was not actually warranted. Spanking may lead, it is argued, to psychological damage and even possible PTS syndrome-related effects due to prolonged fear, feelings of miss-trust and being un-loved, alike with bullying at school or other forms of abuse.
Opponents also claim that spanking teaches children that violence is an appropriate way to treat one who offends. Some consider that spanking, as with clear-cut forms of physical abuse, may perpetuate a "cycle of violence" which contributes to violent behavior in the child as an adult. Children learn by example, and those subjected to physical violence "for their own good" will, the argument goes, learn that this is an appropriate way to treat others who have wronged them. (This argument rests on the premise that spanking is a form of violence, a premise that is questioned by the pro-spanking side.)
There is a significant risk in regards to trust of a parent. If children feel that they are being threatened by this form of chastisement, it is likely that they may have difficulty believing that the parents are there to protect them because of the claim "I would never hurt you" has been violated. This may impair their ability to follow their parents or do what they advise and to listen to them.
There are possible physical risks involved which have not been proven. Mainly these risks concern the physical effects of hitting someone, especially when implements such as paddles are used. The buttocks are a sensitive area and are close to the kidneys or spine. Hitting the wrong area may cause harm to these organs.
Additionally, risks may occur when the child resists its punishment and tries to get away in an angry or other emotional state. This may result in accidental injuries such as falling down flights of stairs and running out into traffic, tripping up over things layed out on the floor, and even possibly hitting the parents back causing a possible reactions that results in them being further punished in similar and more dangerous ways. In such cases, they may begin to fight dangerously, and the result is most likely to be serious injuries on the younger opponant.
For children with afflictions such as epilepsy, asthma, un-diagnosed medical conditions such as heart rhythm disorder ("arrythmias") a spanking may aggrevate their condition. It is known that epileptic patients that are exposed to stress can be more likily to convulse for instance. Anything that produces physical stress on the body can do harm.
Alternatives to spanking
Opponents of spanking state that there are numerous methods of non-violent child discipline which they think are at least as effective as spanking, and without the negative side-effects that they attribute to spanking; see that article for details.
Other criticisms and questions about spanking
Some people opposing spanking have speculated on the links between eroticism and the spanking of children (see also erotic spanking). They regard the spanking of children as a form of pedophilic sexual abuse, and also claim that childhood spanking may lead to the development of paraphiliac behavior in later life. This however has never been proven. Additionally, many people who enjoy erotic spanking claim to have never received a spanking as a child.
The legal situation
Corporal punishment of children in school is illegal in many western countries; it remains legal in 22 U.S. states, although it is commonly practised only in the South. In each of these states, it is up to each school district to determine whether corporal punishment will be used, in what situations will it be applied, and the manner in which it is given – typically with a paddle. There are states where school officials have lost their jobs for spanking students.
In the UK the Children Bill was passed in 2004. One attempt to make spanking illegal in England and Wales did not pass when a majority of 424 to 75 Members of Parliament voted against the bill [1]. A House of Lords amendment, however, made it illegal to leave any visible marks.
Spanking of children within families is illegal in some countries (for example, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Germany, Italy, Cyprus, Croatia, Israel and Latvia). Similar initiatives in the U.S. have repeatedly failed. Parental rights groups have formed since the 1990s to prevent spanking from being criminalized.
Canada has tightened its laws as of early 2004 and the laws now say that no infant or teen may be spanked.
See also
External links
- Website of the Center for Effective Discipline: StopHitting.com
- Spanking questions and answers
- A pro-family rights activism list
- A review of the psychological research
- The Rod or Shebet: An Indepth Study