Corporal Punishment.
...hment In America.” Corporal punishment is “the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child physical pain, but not injury, for the correction or control of a child’s behavior.” Anti-spanking groups believe spanking/corporal punishment, destroys self esteem, transmits a pro violence attitude, and children who are hit often grow up with feelings of resentment (www.stophitting .com) Pro spanking groups believe that spanking/corporal punishment is okay, when used for a clear and deliberate misbehavior, and works best when coupled with other forms of discipline such as, “time out”. (www.rmc.org) There are many people who base their belief in spanking/corporal punishment on their religion. A Christian based web site stated, “those who fail to properly discipline their children are cowardly and lazy” (www.abcog.org.com) Forms of (C.P.) are: spanking, slapping, grabbing or shoving a child roughly. Another form of (C.P.) is using objects such as: hairbrushes, belts, or paddles. Using objects poses a huge risk of physical injury, which may result in a child needing medical attention, which falls into the category of child abuse. (Murray Straus, author of, “Beating the Devil Out of Them”. Corporal Punishment In America.) The public opinion on corporal punishment is definitely changing. A survey done in Texas in 1978 found that only one third of the population considered hitting a child with an object to be physical abuse. The study was repeated in 1991, and almost half of the population saw this as physical abuse, rather than, Corporal punishment. (Straus) In the U.S. the law in all fifty states gives parents the right to hit a child using an object, provided no physical injuries occur. (Straus) In 1992 The New Hampshire Supreme Court up held a parents right to hit a child in this way. (Straus) Many people believe spanking/corporal punishment happens to most children only when they are toddlers and not often. Straus states that this is not true. Most toddlers are hit several times a week, and this...