Violence
by Any Other Name
by
Cynthia Good Mojab, MS
Monday,
April 24, 2000
Oregon
Live
www.oregonlive.com
Violence
against children has long been accepted–even advocated–in the name of discipline.
In the United States, no law prevents 26 percent of our population (70
million people under the age of 18) from being physically punished by their
parents. When an entire society incorporates hitting, spanking, slapping,
smacking, pinching, paddling, … into childrearing, it can be difficult
to see the resulting harm. But violence by any other name is still violence.
People
across the country and around the world increasingly recognize this fact.
Over 40 national organizations favor the abolition of corporal punishment,
including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological
Association and the National Education Association. Twenty-seven states
(including Oregon) have banned physical punishment in public schools, as
have 24 nations. Ten countries have banned it altogether. Reasons for doing
so include that physical punishment:
-
has
overwhelmingly been shown to cause lifelong damage, such as poor school
performance, juvenile delinquency, sexual dysfunction and domestic violence.
-
poses
immediate risks of physical injury to children, including bruises and broken
bones.
-
is
used more often against children who live in poverty, have disabilities,
are male, and are minorities.
-
is
often used as a first (not last) resort, even for minor misbehaviors.
-
teaches
children to hit someone smaller and weaker when they are angry and that
force is an acceptable method of gaining compliance.
-
creates
fear, anger and resentment in children, emotional states that undermine
the ability to learn and further increase the probability of a child engaging
in violence.
-
destroys
children's trust in their parents, impairing their ability to trust and
develop healthy relationships with all others.
Many
people use physical discipline because it was used on them. But this harmful
cycle does not have to continue. Countless mothers and fathers have courageously
looked for effective alternatives to corporal punishment and successfully
put them into practice. Instead of striking out, they model good behavior,
point out the times a child does something positive, and call a friend
for support so they won't take their anger out on a child. Many more ideas
can be found in books about how to rear children nonviolently and by talking
with other nonviolent parents, as well as with family counselors.
A
wealth of support and information is available. Parents working to make
a change do not have to do so alone. And whether or not we have children
ourselves, we can all make a commitment to learn, advocate and teach childrearing
methods that enhance development and well being while guiding behavior.
We can also encourage community leaders, organizations, and legislators
to do the same.
In
spite of research, resources and the growing number of people who successfully
raise and educate children with nonviolent guidance, arguments in favor
of corporal punishment will continue to be made. The fact remains that
any degree of violence is harmful, especially against children. Hitting
a child in the name of discipline is like breaking a window to cool down
the house. When effective alternatives are available that will not cause
harm, they are the better choice. It is never right to hit a child.
Cynthia
Good Mojab is an author, researcher, and advocate for children and their
families. She lives in Oregon. Additional resources are Parents and Teachers
Against Violence in Education (PTAVE) and EPOCH-USA. PTAVE publishes the
free booklet "Plain Talk about Spanking" and can be reached at PO Box 1033,
Alamo, CA 94507; Tel: 925-831-1661; http://www.nospank.net. EPOCH-USA,
an organization that encourages alternatives to corporal punishment, sponsors
SpankOut Day each April 30th. Anyone can participate in SpankOut Day by
making a commitment to not use physical punishment on children. EPOCH-USA
can be reached at 155 West Main Street, Suite 1603, Columbus, OH 43215;
Tel.: 614-221-8829; http://www.stophitting.com.
©
Cynthia Good Mojab, 2000. All rights reserved.
