Page 1 of 15 HD 497 Lecture 5 – Corporal Punishment Slide 1 [Slide title] HD 300 Child Abuse & Neglect [Slide content] Unit 5 Corporal Punishment (Spanking) [Audio] Spanking is a “hot button” issue for many. On one side of the argument, those who do not spank are viewed as not disciplining their children. On the other side, the idea of a 150 pound adult hitting a 50 pound child is abusive. Research on the outcomes to children who are spanked has been on-going for more than 30 years, and we are going to explore some of those findings in this unit. Slide 2 [Slide title] Definition [Slide content] • Corporal punishment is the use of force…  With the intention of causing pain…  But not injury…  For the purpose of correction…  Or to control the child’s behavior. [Audio] First, defining corporal punishment or spanking. Corporal punishment is the use of force with the intention of causing pain, but not injury for the purpose of correction or to control child’s behavior. Slide 3 [Slide title] What Constitutes “Pain?” [Slide content] • How much pain is enough pain? • How much force is necessary to cause “enough” pain? • How can one measure that force?Page 2 of 15 • How can one determine whether the child has been injured? [Audio] One of the issues that comes up is then what constitutes pain? How much pain is enough pain? How much force is necessary to cause “enough” pain? And how can one measure that force? And how can one determine whether the child has been injured? So, these are some of the issues that come up with parents who spank their children. It is really not possible to measure pain or whether or not the child has been injured or the force of the “enough” to cause pain. Slide 4 [Slide title] State Laws Slide content] - No U.S. federal laws that prohibit caregivers from spanking a child. - Wide variation between states - Texas  The use of force but not deadly force  Spanker is the parent or step-parent, or acting in loco  Parentis  When the spanker believes that force is necessary to discipline the child [Audio] Some of the state laws – first of all, now federal laws exist in the United States that prohibit caregivers from spanking a child. However, some European countries do have laws that say that no one can use corporal punishment on a child, but the United States of a whole does not have a federal law. Some states however do, but there is wide variation between the states. Let’s just look at a few. For example, in Texas, it is legal to use force, but not deadly force on a child. The spanker must be the parent, step-parent or anting in loco parentis or when the spanker believes that force is necessary to discipline the child. So, these three factors need to be in place, in order for spanking to be legal. Slide 5 [Slide title] State Laws [Slide content] • New Hampshire - Parent or guardian is justified in using force if he reasonably believes it necessary to prevent or punish misconduct. • WashingtonPage 3 of 15 - HB 3299 would have allowed any type of punishment that did not cause risk of death or permanent impairment. (The bill did not pass). [Audio] Other state laws – in New Hampshire, their definition is a parent or a guardian is justified in using force if he reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent or to punish misconduct. In Washington state, a legislator brought forth a bill, it was House Bill 3299 and that bill would have allowed any type of punishment that did not cause risk of death or permanent impairment. That bill did not pass fortunately for the children in Washington. Slide 6 [Slide title] How Common in U.S.? [Slide content] • 90% of parents have administered physical punishment to their children. • 93% of U.S. citizens report having received physical punishment as a child. • Currently, 55% approve of spanking as a method of punishment [Audio] Well how common is corporal punishment in the United States? Research shows that 90 percent of parents have administered physical punishment to their children and 93 of U.S. adults report having received physical punishment as a child. Currently, 55 percent approve of spanking as a method of punishment. That is more than half of the U.S. population, but that is down significantly consider that toward the earlier parts of the 20th century, over 90 percent of parents approved of it. Then there was a drop to 85 percent and then 68 percent and now we are down to 55 percent as of today or as of the most current research. Slide 7 [Slide title] Spanking [Slide content] • Spanking peaks when children are 2 to 4 years of age. - Spanking begins in infancy, peaks at age 3 or 4, and then declines as the child gets older. - Approximately 25% of children age 15-17 are still being spanked. • Boys are spanked more (but not much more) [Audio] Spanking peaks when children are 2 to 4 years of age. So, toddlers are the most likely to be getting spanked. However, it begins in infancy, peaks at age 3 or 4 and then declines as the child gets older. However, approximately 25 percent of children age 15 to 17 report that they are still being spanked. When looking at boys or girls, boys are spanked more, but not much more thanPage 4 of 15 girls. Slide 8 [Slide title] Is Spanking Violence? [Slide content] • Violence – Intention to cause pain or injury • Both corporal punishment and violence are intentional. • If a parent causes injury while spanking, it is violent and physically abusive. [Audio] Now, here is a question that was posed by Doctor Murray Straus, who has done extensive research in this area and that is, is spanking violence? Let’s look at the definition of violence. Violence is the intention to cause pain or injury. Both corporal punishment and violence are intentional and if a parent causes injury while spanking, then it is violent and physically abusive. Slide 9 [Slide title] Hitting Children v.s. Wives [Slide content] • Hitting children is socially acceptable and legal. Hitting a wife is a crime (now). • Children often believe they deserve to be hit. So do wives. • Hitting children usually does not result in injury. Only about 3% of assaults on women result in injury requiring medical attention. [Audio] Another issue that Dr. Murray Straus brings up in the interview that you will be seeing shortly is hitting