There was corporal punishment in the UK up until the 1990’s.
Boys would get the cane, and it could have been with trousers down or even across the bare bottom. I got it across my pants several times. Girls tended to get the slipper, and this could sometimes be across the knickers.
Mostly girls were punished by female teachers, but it was not unheard of for a senior male master to slipper a girl. She’d have to bend over, and the master would turn her skirt back.
She could get up to 6 whacks. I heard of one head-master who would spank the under 13’s over his knee across their knickers, with 8 or 9 spanks.
The over 14’s would get 8 or 9 hard whacks with the slipper across their knickers… the older you were the more you would get, and the harder it would be. This could include 6th form girls.
In the 1960’s & 1970’s with more permissiveness, older school-children would flout the rules more, earning more canings & slipperings.
Definition of Corporal Punishment
Corporal punishment can be defined as a painful, intentionally inflicted (typically, by striking a child) physical penalty administered by a person in authority for disciplinary purposes. Corporal punishment can occur anywhere, and whippings, beatings, paddlings, and flogging are specific forms of corporal punishment (Cohen, 1984).
Worldwide Initiatives for Banning Corporal Punishment
Education, as well as legislative and legal reforms, are crucial to ending corporal punishment on a worldwide level. In 1979, Sweden became the first country in the world to ban all corporal punishment of children. By passing their no corporal punishment law, Sweden set a good example for other nations. Furthermore, Sweden bolsters the law by providing funds for a massive education campaign and designating extensive support services to minimize family stress and conflict. While the Swedish government primarily relies upon the pedagogic effect of the legal prohibition, offenders are subject to criminal prosecution (Bitensky, 1998). Other countries that have followed the Swedish example are Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Romania, Ukraine and Netherlands.(EPOCH-USA, 2007a).
Several countries making progress toward bans against corporal punishment of children in all settings, including homes, are Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland, Belgium, United Kingdom of Great Britain, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Fiji, Taiwan, Colombia, Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands (Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, 2007). Current information is regularly posted on the website www.endcorporalpunishment.org.
In the United States, however, corporal punishment of children in the schools is legal in about half the states, and "reasonable" corporal punishment of children by their parents or guardians is legal in every state except Minnesota (Bitensky, 1998). Prohibition of corporal punishment in family day care, group homes/institutions, child care centers, and family foster care varies according to state laws (EPOCH-USA, 2007b).
Consequences of Corporal Punishment
Accumulated research supports the theory that corporal punishment is an ineffective discipline strategy with children of all ages and, furthermore, that it is often dangerous. Corporal punishment most often produces in its victims anger, resentment, and low self-esteem. It teaches violence and revenge as solutions to problems, and perpetuates itself, as children imitate what they see adults doing. Research substantiates the following consequences of corporal punishment:
Children whose parents use corporal punishment to control antisocial behavior show more antisocial behavior themselves over a long period of time, regardless of race and socioeconomic status, and regardless of whether the mother provides cognitive stimulation and emotional support (Gunnoe & Mariner, 1997; Kazdin, 1987; Patterson, DeBaryshe, & Ramsey, 1989; Straus, Sugarman, & Giles-Sims, 1997).
A consistent pattern of physical abuse exists that generally starts as corporal punishment, and then gets out of control (Kadushin & Martin, 1981; Straus & Yodanis, 1994).
Adults who were hit as children are more likely to be depressed or violent themselves (Berkowitz, 1993; Strassberg, Dodge, Pettit, & Bates, 1994; Straus, 1994; Straus & Gelles, 1990; Straus & Kantor, 1992).
The more a child is hit, the more likely it is that the child, when an adult, will hit his or her children, spouse, or friends (Julian & McKenry, 1993; Straus, 1991; Straus, 1994; Straus & Gelles, 1990; Straus & Kantor, 1992; Widom, 1989; Wolfe, 1987).
Corporal punishment increases the probability of children assaulting the parent in retaliation, especially as they grow older (Brezina, 1998).
Corporal punishment sends a message to the child that violence is a viable option for solving problems (Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 1980; Straus, Sugarman, & Giles-Sims, 1997).
Corporal punishment is degrading, contributes to feelings of helplessness and humiliation, robs a child of self-worth and self-respect, and can lead to withdrawal or aggression (Sternberg et al., 1993; Straus, 1994).
Corporal punishment erodes trust between a parent and a child, and increases the risk of child abuse; as a discipline measure, it simply does not decrease children's aggressive or delinquent behaviors (Straus, 1994).
Children who get spanked regularly are more likely over time to cheat or lie, be disobedient at school, bully others, and show less remorse for wrongdoing (Straus, Sugarman, & Giles-Sims, 1997).
Corporal punishment adversely affects children's cognitive development. Children who are spanked perform poorly on school tasks compared to other children (Straus & Mathur, 1995; Straus & Paschall, 1998).
Parental corporal punishment is associated with higher levels of immediate compliance and aggression, lower levels of moral internalization and mental health, delinquency and antisocial behavior, quality of parent child relationship, and likelihood of becoming a victim of physical abuse (Gershoff, 2002).
Alternatives to Corporal Punishment
Set firm, consistent, age-appropriate, and acceptable limits. For example, although a 5-year-old child may be able to resist the urge to touch things, it is not reasonable to expect that a 2-year-old will be able to handle such limits. Therefore, parents may need to childproof their homes to protect breakable items, and to keep children away from dangerous objects.
Teach children conflict resolution and mediation skills, including listening actively, speaking clearly, showing trust and being trustworthy, accepting differences, setting group goals, negotiating, and mediating conflicts.
Reason and talk with children in age-appropriate ways. Verbal parent-child interactions enhance children's cognitive ability.
Model patience, kindness, empathy, and cooperation. Parents and teachers should be aware of the powerful influence their actions have on a child's or group's behavior.
Provide daily opportunities for children to practice rational problem solving, and to study alternatives and the effect of each alternative.
Encourage and praise children. A nonverbal response such as a smile or a nod, or a verbal response such as "good" or "right" not only provides incentives for accomplishment, but also builds primary grade children's confidence.
Allow children to participate in setting rules-and identifying consequences for breaking them. This empowers children to learn how to manage their own behavior.
Provide consistency, structure, continuity, and predictability in children's lives.
Encourage children's autonomy-allow them to think for themselves, and to monitor their own behavior, letting their conscience guide them.
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