Can we Conquer Child Abuse if we don’t Outlaw Physical Chastisement of Children?

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 681-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Freeman ◽  
Bernadette J. Saunders
Keyword(s):  
Child Abuse ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Corporal Punishment ◽  
Physical Punishment ◽  
International Congress ◽  
Keynote Address ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Optimal Development ◽  
The World

Initially, this paper was delivered as a keynote address at the 17thispcan International Congress held in Hong Kong in 2008. It addresses the question: Can we conquer child abuse if we don’t first outlaw physical punishment of children? It is argued that children’s low status in society and children’s less than optimal development are inextricably linked to corporal punishment in childhood, as is the physical abuse of children that all too frequently begins as disciplinary violence, often euphemistically described as “smacking”, but tragically escalates, resulting in injuries and even death. Attention is drawn to increasing evidence from research around the world that reveals the futility and avoidable negative consequences of physical chastisement, and the paper ends on an optimistic note foreseeing the end of the corporal punishment of children in Asia and elsewhere – a world in which children’s rights are respected and children’s childhoods are freed from the pain and fear of disciplinary violence.

Educate: Don’t punish

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoya Chowdhary ◽  
Falak Chowdhary ◽  
Rubal Gangopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Child Abuse ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Alcohol Abuse ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Corporal Punishment ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Self ◽  
Ethical Duty ◽  
Suicidal Attempts ◽  
Mental Trauma

We all have seen/ experienced incidences of corporal punishment, but most of us don’t see them as something strange/ to question, and yet it makes us feel uncomfortable. In other words; corporal punishment is just one of the wrong ways to discipline a child. In our society, it is a trend that children in school as well as at home are physically punished if they do not conform to the set social behavior. The punishment varies from physical abuse to psychological abuse. A child responds differently to the menace of corporal punishment and the uncontrolled anger of the parent/ teacher, may result in injuries or even death of the child. Children respect and admire adults whether parents/ teachers but these punishments may lead to anger and frustration which diminish the intimacy which the child has towards them and to cope up with the persistent abuse, the child indulges in self-destructive activities like alcohol abuse etc and even suicidal attempts. Chronic abuse of the child leads to a breach of the trust between the child and the parent/ teacher causing effects beyond physical/ mental trauma, there is an erosion of the self-esteem, fear of closeness and ill-conceived attempts to avoid unpleasant reminders of child abuse. The use of corporal punishment is strongly rooted in our society and is passed on through generations. However, this doesn’t mean that corporal punishment is justified. So, putting an end to corporal punishment is our ethical duty.

Occupational Therapy — The Opportunity to Develop: An Exploration of Occupational Therapy as it Emerges in the Ugandan Context

1994 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 162-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer R Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
International Congress ◽  
Keynote Address ◽  
World Federation ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
The World

This paper was given as a keynote address to the 11th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 17–22 April 1994, London; it was illustrated with slides. Through discussion of personal experiences of practising occupational therapy in a variety of situations in Uganda, the author stresses the importance of allowing the profession to develop naturally from within its cultural context and concludes with some observations about the nature of occupational therapy as it emerges in Uganda. The purposes of this paper are to outline the development of occupational therapy as a rehabilitation profession within the context of the total rehabilitation of a nation; to explore the concept of occupational therapy as it emerges in the unique culture and environment of Uganda; and to identify aspects of occupational therapy in Uganda that can enhance the understanding and practice of occupational therapy worldwide.

Educate: Don’t punish

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (02) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoya Chowdhary ◽  
Falak Chowdhary ◽  
Aniece Chowdhary
Keyword(s):  
Child Abuse ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Alcohol Abuse ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Corporal Punishment ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Self ◽  
Ethical Duty ◽  
Suicidal Attempts ◽  
Mental Trauma

We all have seen/ experienced incidences of corporal punishment, but most of us don’t see them as something strange/ to question, and yet it makes us feel uncomfortable. In other words; corporal punishment is just one of the wrong ways to discipline a child. In our society, it is a trend that children in school as well as at home are physically punished if they do not conform to the set social behavior. The punishment varies from physical abuse to psychological abuse. A child responds differently to the menace of corporal punishment and the uncontrolled anger of the parent/ teacher, may result in injuries or even death of the child. Children respect and admire adults whether parents/ teachers but these punishments may lead to anger and frustration which diminish the intimacy which the child has towards them and to cope up with the persistent abuse, the child indulges in self-destructive activities like alcohol abuse etc and even suicidal attempts. Chronic abuse of the child leads to a breach of the trust between the child and the parent/ teacher causing effects beyond physical/ mental trauma, there is an erosion of the self-esteem, fear of closeness and ill-conceived attempts to avoid unpleasant reminders of child abuse. The use of corporal punishment is strongly rooted in our society and is passed on through generations. However, this doesn’t mean that corporal punishment is justified. So, putting an end to corporal punishment is our ethical duty.

Physical punishment in child rearing: A background paper to the campaign for EPOCH (End Physical Punishment of Children) in Australia.

1995 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 27-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Boss
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Child Abuse ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Physical Punishment ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Parental Behaviour ◽  
Legal Definition ◽  
The World ◽  
Definition Of

With attention focussed on child abuse and measures for child protection in many countries around the world, efforts have been made to understand something of the nature and dimensions that lie behind abuse. Now the time has come to look at domestic violence in its other manifestations - not only parent to child as in child abuse, but also husband to wife or cohabiter to cohabiter. What, however, has been missing from this widening of concerns has been a focus on parental behaviour toward their children which involves the use of physical punishment in child rearing but which may fall short of the legal definition of abuse. This gap is about to be considered with the emergence in Australia of the EPOCH campaign in which Oz Child is to be a leading participant.

The Development of Mental Health Services: Occupational Therapy's Inclusion in Brazil

1994 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 168-170
Author(s):  
Michelle S Hahn
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
International Congress ◽  
Keynote Address ◽  
World Federation ◽  
The World

Keynote address, given to the 11th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 17–22 April 1994, London.

The Development and Future of Occupational Therapy from a Swedish Perspective

1994 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 165-167
Author(s):  
Chris Henriksson
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
International Congress ◽  
Keynote Address ◽  
World Federation ◽  
The World

Keynote address, given to the 11th International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 17–22 April 1994, London.

scholarly journals A local review of child abuse in Hong Kong: From the perspective of emergency physicians

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 350-361
Author(s):  
Chung Wai So ◽  
Chun Tat Lui ◽  
Paulin Ng ◽  
Hin Tat Fung
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Child Abuse ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Emergency Physicians ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
The World ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department

Background: Child abuse occurs all over the world, including Hong Kong. The Accident and Emergency Department is one of the places in which cases of child abuse may present to. Objectives: As an emergency physician in the hospital, we need to understand the signs and symptoms and the risk factors of child abuse. We also need to perform risk assessment and formulate the plan of management. Methods: Databases in Hong Kong were searched to obtain the current situation of child abuse in Hong Kong. Literature about the nature of child abuse was also searched. Results: The epidemiology of child abuse in Hong Kong was reviewed. Signs and symptoms, risk factors, and management of child abuse were summarized in this review article. Conclusion: High vigilance is needed for emergency physicians to pick up cases of child abuse. Most cases of child abuse would finally need assessment from a multidisciplinary team.

scholarly journals Will prohibiting the use of physical punishment reduce child abuse deaths among New Zealand children?

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 11-21
Author(s):  
Sophie Trevathan ◽  
Lynne Briggs
Keyword(s):  
Child Abuse ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Corporal Punishment ◽  
Physical Punishment ◽  
Child Safety ◽  
Secure Environment ◽  
The Right

The Amendment Act (Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act, 2007) came into force on 22 June 2007. The changes in the Act amended the right of parents to use force by way of correction toward a child. The purpose of this amendment was to provide children with a safer and more secure environment to live in that is free from violence. Such a move also has the potential to provide a clearer mandate for social workers in regard to issues of child safety. While planned, reviews to determine how effective the amendment has been have not yet been undertaken.This paper presents some key findings from a larger study exploring the issue of child abuse deaths in New Zealand. In doing so a comparison of legislation and policy between New Zealand and Sweden is presented. Sweden was used as the main focus for this comparison as it introduced a ban on use of corporal punishment of children in 1979. 

scholarly journals Physical Punishment of Children

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Rowland ◽  
Felicity Gerry ◽  
Marcia Stanton
Keyword(s):  
Child Abuse ◽  
Corporal Punishment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Physical Punishment ◽  
25Th Anniversary ◽  
Railway Line ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Rights Of The Child ◽  
Modern Context ◽  
Global Initiative

As at March 2016, 49 states had reformed their laws to clearly prohibit all corporal punishment of children (United Nations 1989) in all settings, including the home (Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, n.d.) By January 2017 this number had reached 52. As the trend moves towards abolition, it is not an acceptable position for the United Kingdom (uk), the United States of America (usa) and Australia (Poulsen, 2015) to remain missing from that list. Whilst they are, effectively, a child (a person aged under 18 years of age), is the only person in all three countries that it is legal to hit. This article seeks to restate arguments in this area in a simple way to restart the debate in a modern context where understanding of child abuse is perhaps more widespread than it ever was in the past. On 20 October 2014 a report, Living on a Railway Line, was launched in the uk to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the un Convention on the Rights of the Child, which took place on 20 November 1989 (Rowland, 2014). It recommended removing the defence of reasonable chastisement in relation to the punishment of children. This article seeks to build on that agenda in a comparative context taking a three way perspective from the uk, the usa and Australia. It concludes that moves to prevent family violence are progressive but the position of a society where physical punishment of children is permitted yet child abuse is forbidden is not a tenable one. Reducing the number of cases of child abuse must begin with a clear message from society that physical punishment of children, whatever the circumstances, is unacceptable. The situation is serious enough to introduce aspirational legislation to remove justifications for physical punishment of children with the aim of modifying behaviour within society.

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