Those familiar with books like “Oliver Twist’ will have read how common it was for children to be punished by being caned or spanked. It was believed that if the rod was spared, then the child would become spoiled.
Corporal punishment is a form of punishment like slapping, pinching, spanking, caning, etc. which causes physical pain. It also includes actions like confining a child in a room, denying the use of the washroom and withholding food or water. Children often suffer corporal punishment at the hands of their caregivers such as parents and teachers.
Now it is understood that such corporal punishment does little to discipline a child. It may have a temporary effect in producing the desired behaviour, but in the long term, it leaves deep emotional scars. It causes negative feelings of humiliation, confusion and anger, and destroys the child’s confidence. It discourages the child from attending school and increases the dropout rate. Positive reinforcement yields better results in producing good behaviour. It is more effective if a child is praised for good behaviour rather than constantly being criticised for his mistakes.
In 1979, Sweden became the first country to ban corporal punishment. Corporal punishment has been banned in 59 countries as of February 2020. In India, physically assaulting a child is punishable with a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to five lakh rupees under the Right to Education Act (2009).
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