Corporal Punishment Criticised

In reference to the article By Chris Conway on corporal punishment (From the Courts; 16.7.79). I feel that Mr Conway has entirely missed the point of the proposed legislation, in his eagerness to debate on the effectiveness of corporal punishment, and it's place in society. What in my opinion, the legislation sets out to do, is to prevent the situation where in adults responsible for the care of children have a carte blanche to hit them as brutally, and as frequently, as they wish to.

Introducing the concept of assault into the area of physical punishment of minors by adults is a vitally important step, because it removes society's almost unspoken acceptance that it is the right of parents and other responsible adults to abuse the children in their care. There exists at this time, in many parts of the world, a situation where physical abuse of children by adults is not taken very seriously by the courts, (ie does not often lead to conviction), simply because it is assumed that parents and other responsible adults have a right to do with children in their care exactly as they choose.

As far as the disciplining of children through physical punishment is concerned, the first relevant point is that there are more effective, and less traumatic ways to guide children towards desirable behaviour; and the second that physical chastisement can easily move from the area of one smack, to brutal, prolonged beatings resulting in abrasions, fractures, lifelong psychological trauma, and very often, death; for which, incidentally the adult is not usually deemed responsible.

It would do Mr Conway well to remember that the child and wife-beaters of our society are usually those who have been brutally beaten in childhood themselves, with no protection under the law: (See Erin Pizzey's "Don't Scream Or The Neighbours Will Hear You"). Whether or not physical punishment "has it's place in any disciplinary system", this place should be at the bottom of the list, as there are more effective, and more humane ways to achieve the stated end — the upbringing of mature, responsible, and emotionally stable adults.