Spanking

{{corporal punishment}}

In American English, dictionaries define spanking as being administered with either the open hand or an implement such as a paddle.American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: "Spank: To slap on the buttocks with a flat object or with the open hand, as for punishment." Thus, the standard form of corporal punishment in US schools (use of a paddle) is often referred to as a spanking. In North America, the word "spanking" has often been used as a synonym for an official paddling in school,E.g. "Corporal punishment — spanking or paddling the student — may be used as a discipline management technique .... The instrument to be used in administering corporal punishment shall be approved by the principal or designee".[http://www.mwpisd.esc18.net/mhs/student_handbook/07_08/stu_handbook07_08.htm Texas Association of School Boards – Standard Code of Conduct wording.] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070625124440/http://www.mwpisd.esc18.net/mhs/student_handbook/07_08/stu_handbook07_08.htm |date=25 June 2007 }} and sometimes even as a euphemism for the formal corporal punishment of adults in an institution.See e.g. [https://www.corpun.com/cajur3.htm Evidence of Colonel G. Headly Basher, Deputy Minister for Reform Institutions, Ontario], Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Commons on Capital and Corporal Punishment and Lotteries, Canada, 1953–55.

In British English, most dictionaries define "spanking" as being given only with the open hand.Oxford English Dictionary: "Spank: To slap or smack (a person, esp. a child) with the open hand." Collins English Dictionary: "Spank: To slap or smack with the open hand, esp. on the buttocks." In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, the word "smacking" is generally used in preference to "spanking" when describing striking with an open hand, rather than with an implement. Whereas a spanking is invariably administered to the bottom, a "smacking" is less specific and may refer to slapping the child's hands, arms, or legs as well as its bottom.Oxford English Dictionary: "Smack: To strike (a person, part of the body, etc.) with the open hand or with something having a flat surface; to slap. Also spec. to chastise (a child) in this manner and fig."

{{Main|Corporal punishment in the home}}File:A spanking good time.jpg

File:Correction that corrects high res.jpg

Parents commonly spank their children as a form of corporal punishment in the United States; however, support for this practice appears to be declining amongst U.S. parents.{{cite journal |last1=Sege |first1=RD |last2=Siegel |first2=BS|title=Effective Discipline to Raise Healthy Children |journal=Pediatrics |date=December 2018 |volume=142 |issue=6 |pages=e20183112 |doi=10.1542/peds.2018-3112 |pmid=30397164|s2cid=53239513 |type=Review|doi-access=free }} Spanking is typically done with one or more slaps on the child's buttocks with a bare hand, although, not uncommonly, various objects are used to spank children, such as a hairbrush or wooden spoon. Historically, adults have spanked boys more than girls.{{cite book |author1=Straus, Murray A. |author2=Douglas, Emily M. |author3=Madeiros, Rose Ann |title=The Primordial Violence: Spanking Children, Psychological Development, Violence, and Crime |location=New York |publisher=Routledge |date=2013 |isbn=978-1848729537 |pages=31–32}}{{Cite journal|title=Family Structure and Child Rearing Patterns: The Effect of Family Size and Sex Composition|jstor=2090309 |journal=American Sociological Review |year=1963 |first=G.H. |last=Elder|author2=Bowerman, C. E. |volume=28 |issue= 6|pages=891–905 |doi=10.2307/2090309}} In the United States, adults commonly spank toddlers the most.{{cite journal|author=Straus, Murray A.|title=Prevalence, Societal Causes, and Trends in Corporal Punishment by Parents in World Perspective|journal=Law and Contemporary Problems|date=Spring 2010|volume=73|issue=2|url=http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1564&context=lcp|publisher=Duke University School of Law|format=PDF|quote=Figure 1. Corporal Punishment Begins With Infants, Is Highest For Toddlers, And Continues Into The Teen Years For Many Children}} The main reasons parents give for spanking their children are to make children more compliant and to promote better behavior, especially to put a stop to their children's apparent aggressive behaviors. {{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

However, research has shown that spanking (or any other form of corporal punishment) is associated with the opposite effect. When adults physically punish children, the children tend to obey parents less with time and develop more aggressive behaviors, including toward other children. This increase in aggressive behavior appears to reflect the child's perception that hitting is the way to deal with anger and frustration. There are also many adverse physical, mental, and emotional effects correlated with spanking and other forms of corporal punishment, including various physical injuries, increased anxiety, depression, and antisocial behavior.{{cite journal |last= Gershoff |first=Elizabeth T. |date= September 2013 |title= Spanking and Child Development: We Know Enough Now to Stop Hitting Our Children |journal= Child Development Perspectives |publisher= The Society for Research in Child Development |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=133–137 |doi=10.1111/cdep.12038 |pmid=24039629 |pmc=3768154}}{{cite journal |last1=MacMillan |first1=HL |last2=Mikton |first2=CR |title=Moving research beyond the spanking debate. |journal=Child Abuse & Neglect |date=September 2017 |volume=71 |pages=5–8 |doi=10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.02.012 |pmid=28249733|url=http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/31256/1/Final%20with%20Abstract_CRM.pdf }} Adults who were spanked during their childhood are more likely to abuse their children and spouse.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) all recommend that no child should be spanked and instead favor the use of effective, healthy forms of discipline.{{cite web |title=Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Position Statement on corporal punishment |url=http://rcpch.adlibhosting.com/files/Corporal%20Punishment%20Position%20Statement%202009-11.pdf |website=rcpch.adlibhosting.com |publisher=The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health}}{{cite web |title=Position Statement: Physical Punishment of Children |url=https://www.racp.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/physical-punishment-of-children.pdf |website=www.racp.edu.au |publisher=The Royal Australasian College of Physicians}} Additionally, the AAP recommends that primary care providers (e.g., pediatricians and family medicine physicians) begin to discuss parents' discipline methods no later than nine months of age and consider initiating such discussions by age 3–4 months. By eight months of age, 5% of parents report spanking and 5% report starting to spank by age three months. The AAP also recommends that pediatricians discuss effective discipline strategies and counsel parents about the ineffectiveness of spanking and the risks of harmful effects associated with the practice to minimize harm to children and guide parents.{{Cite journal|last=Orentlicher|first=David|date=1998|title=Spanking and Other Corporal Punishment of Children by Parents: Undervaluing Children, Overvaluing Pain|url=https://ssrn.com/abstract=2028343|journal=Houston Law Review|volume=38|pages=147}}

Although parents and other advocates of spanking often claim that spanking is necessary to promote child discipline, studies have shown that parents tend to apply physical punishment inconsistently and tend to spank more often when they are angry or under stress.{{Cite journal|author=Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health |title=Guidance for effective discipline |journal=Pediatrics |volume=101 |issue=4 Pt 1 |pages=723–8 |publisher=American Academy of Pediatrics |date=April 1998 |pmid=9521967 |url=http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/101/4/723|doi=10.1542/peds.101.4.723 |s2cid=79545678 }} The use of corporal punishment by parents increases the likelihood that children will suffer physical abuse, and most documented cases of physical abuse in Canada and the United States begin as disciplinary spankings.{{cite journal |author=Gershoff, Elizabeth T. |date=Spring 2010 |title=More Harm Than Good: A Summary of Scientific Research on the Intended and Unintended Effects of Corporal Punishment on Children |url=http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/lcp/vol73/iss2/3/ |journal=Law & Contemporary Problems |publisher=Duke University School of Law |volume=73 |issue=2 |pages=31–56}} If a child is frequently spanked, this form of corporal punishment tends to become less effective at modifying behavior over time (also known as extinction). In response to the decreased effectiveness of spanking, some parents increase the frequency or severity of spanking or use an object.

Parents may spank less – or not at all – if they have learned effective discipline techniques since many view spanking as a last resort to discipline their children. There are many alternatives to spanking and other forms of corporal punishment:

• Time-in, increasing praise, and special time to promote desired behaviors
• Time outs to take a break from escalating misbehavior
• Positive reinforcement of rewarding desirable behavior with a star, sticker, or treat
• Implementing non-physical punishment (psychology) in which an unpleasant consequence follows misbehavior, such as taking away a privilege
• Ignoring low-level misbehaviors and prioritizing attention on more significant forms of misbehavior
• Avoiding the opportunity for misbehavior and thus the need for corrective discipline.

{{Main|School corporal punishment}}File:Koerperstrafe- MA Birkenrute.jpg File: SPANK SCULACCIATA.jpg spanking a student]] Corporal punishment, usually delivered with an implement (such as a paddle or cane) rather than with the open hand, used to be a common form of school discipline in many countries, but it is now banned in most of the Western World.

Corporal punishment, such as caning, remains a common form of discipline in schools in several Asian and African countries, even in countries in which this practice has been deemed illegal such as India and South Africa.{{cite news |last1=Pak |first1=Jennifer |title=Malaysia's love for the cane is questioned |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26883902 |work=BBC News |date=5 April 2014}}{{cite news |title=Corporal punishment 'widespread' in Indian schools |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11617206 |access-date=20 June 2018 |work=BBC News |date=25 October 2010}}{{cite news |last1=Seale |first1=Lebogang |title=Severe corporal punishment still carried out at many SA schools |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/opinion/severe-corporal-punishment-still-carried-out-at-many-sa-schools-11514666 |access-date=20 June 2018 |publisher=IOL |date=7 October 2017}} In these cultures it is referred to as "caning" and not "spanking."

The Supreme Court of the United States in 1977 held that the paddling of school students was not per se unlawful.Ingraham v. Wright, 97, S.Ct. 1401 (1977). However, 33 states have now banned paddling in public schools. It is still common in some schools in the South, and more than 167,000 students were paddled in the 2011–2012 school year in American public schools.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/12/corporal-punishment/420420/ |title=The States Where Teachers Can Still Spank Students |last=Anderson |first=Melinda D. |website=The Atlantic |access-date=10 May 2016 |date=15 December 2015}} Students can be physically punished from kindergarten to the end of high school, meaning that even adults who have reached the age of majority are sometimes spanked by school officials.{{cite web |url= https://www.corpun.com/counuss.htm |title= Corporal punishment in US schools |author= C. Farrell |date=October 2016 |website= www.corpun.com}}

Several medical, pediatric, or psychological societies have issued statements opposing all forms of corporal punishment in schools, citing such outcomes as poorer academic achievements, increases in antisocial behaviors, injuries to students, and an unwelcoming learning environment. They include the American Medical Association,[https://www.ama-assn.org/ssl3/ecomm/PolicyFinderForm.pl?site=www.ama-assn.org&uri=/resources/html/PolicyFinder/policyfiles/HnE/H-515.995.HTM "H-515.995 Corporal Punishment in Schools"]. American Medical Association. the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,{{cite web |title=Corporal Punishment in Schools |url=https://www.aacap.org/aacap/policy_statements/1988/Corporal_Punishment_in_Schools.aspx |publisher=American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |date=September 2014}} the American Psychoanalytic Association,{{cite web |title=Position Statement on Corporal/Physical Punishment |url=http://www.apsa.org/sites/default/files/2013%20—%20Position%20Statement%20on%20Physical%20Punishment.pdf |website=www.apsa.org |publisher=American Psychoanalytic Association}} the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),{{cite journal |author=American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on School Health |title=Corporal punishment in schools |journal=Pediatrics |volume=73 |issue=2 |pages=258 |date=February 1984 |doi=10.1542/peds.73.2.258 |pmid=6599942 |s2cid=245213800 |url=http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=6599942}}{{cite journal |author1=Stein, M.T. |author2=Perrin, E.L. |title=Guidance for effective discipline. American Academy of Pediatrics. Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health |journal=Pediatrics |volume=101 |issue=4 Pt 1 |pages=723–8 |date=April 1998 |pmid=9521967 |url=http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=9521967 |doi=10.1542/peds.101.4.723|s2cid=79545678 }} the Society for Adolescent Medicine,{{cite journal |author1=Greydanus, D.E. |author2=Pratt, H.D. |author3=Spates, Richard C. |author4=Blake-Dreher, A.E. |author5=Greydanus-Gearhart, M.A. |author6=Patel, D.R. |title=Corporal punishment in schools: position paper of the Society for Adolescent Medicine |journal=J Adolesc Health |volume=32 |issue=5 |pages=385–93 |date=May 2003 |pmid=12729988 |doi=10.1016/S1054-139X(03)00042-9 |url=http://www.adolescenthealth.org/PositionPaper_Corporal_Punishment_in_Schools.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419115418/http://www.adolescenthealth.org/PositionPaper_Corporal_Punishment_in_Schools.pdf |archive-date=19 April 2009 }}{{cite journal|last1=Corporal Punishment|first1=Committee Ad Hoc|last2=Greydanus|first2=Donald E.|last3=Pratt|first3=Helen D.|last4=Greydanus|first4=Samuel E.|last5=Hofmann|first5=Adele D.|author-link5=Adele Hofmann|last6=Tsegaye-Spates|first6=C. Richard|date=May 1992|title=Corporal punishment in schools. A position paper of the Society for Adolescent Medicine|journal=J Adolesc Health|volume=13|issue=3|pages=240–6|doi=10.1016/1054-139X(92)90097-U|pmid=1498122|doi-access=free}} the American Psychological Association,[http://www.apa.org/about/policy/corporal-punishment.aspx "Corporal Punishment"]. Council Policy Manual. American Psychological Association. 1975. the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health,{{Cite web |url=http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/asset_library/Policy%20and%20Standards/Policy%20Documents/Corporal%20Punishment%20Policy%20Nov09.pdf |title=Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Position Statement on corporal punishment |date=November 2009}}{{cite journal |author=Lynch, M. |title=Community pediatrics: role of physicians and organizations |journal=Pediatrics |volume=112 |issue=3 Part 2 |pages=732–4 |date=September 2003 |pmid=12949335|doi=10.1542/peds.112.s3.732 |s2cid=35761650 }} the Royal College of Psychiatrists,{{cite journal |doi=10.1192/pb.2.4.62 |title=Memorandum on the Use of Corporal Punishment in Schools |year=1978 |journal=Psychiatric Bulletin |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=62–64|doi-access=free }} the Canadian Paediatric Society{{cite journal|pmc=2719514 |title=Effective discipline for children |author1=Psychosocial Paediatrics Committee |author2=Canadian Paediatric Society |journal=Paediatrics & Child Health |year=2004 |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=37–41 |pmid=19654979|doi=10.1093/pch/9.1.37 }} and the Australian Psychological Society,{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/lc/qalc.nsf/ad22cc96ba50555dca257051007aa5c8/ca25707400260aa3ca25706f0001d5c8!OpenDocument |title=Legislative assembly questions #0293 - Australian Psychological Society: Punishment and Behaviour Change |access-date=6 August 2008 |date=20 October 1996 |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080503222048/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/lc/qalc.nsf/ad22cc96ba50555dca257051007aa5c8/ca25707400260aa3ca25706f0001d5c8!OpenDocument |archive-date = 3 May 2008}} as well as the United States' National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of Secondary School Principals.{{cite web |title=Corporal Punishment |url=https://www.nassp.org/policy-advocacy-center/nassp-position-statements/corporal-punishment/ |website=www.nassp.org/ |publisher=National Association of Secondary School Principals|date=13 February 2018 }}{{cite web |title=Position Statement: Corporal Punishment |url=https://www.nasponline.org/x26815.xml |website=www.nasponline.org |publisher=National Association of School Psychologists}}

File:KissMeKateFilm.JPG, 1953]]

Most spanking performed between adults in the 21st century within the Western world is erotic spanking.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

Within the early 20th century, American men spanking their wives and girlfriends was often seen as an acceptable form of discipline. It was a common trope in American films, from the earliest days up through the 1960s, and was often used to allude to romance between the man and woman.{{cite web|last1=Heisel|first1=Andrew|title='I Don't Know Whether to Kiss You or Spank You': A Half Century of Fear of an Unspanked Woman|url=https://pictorial.jezebel.com/i-dont-know-whether-to-kiss-you-or-spank-you-a-half-ce-1769140132|website=Pictorial|date=12 April 2016 |access-date=1 September 2016}}

In the early 21st century, adherents of a subculture known as Christian domestic discipline have on a literalist interpretation of the Bible justified spanking as a form of acceptable punishment of women by their husbands.{{cite journal|last=Snyder-Hall|first=R. Claire|year=2008|title=The Ideology of Wifely Submission: A Challenge for Feminism?|journal=Politics & Gender|volume=4|issue=04|pages=563–586|doi=10.1017/S1743923X08000482|s2cid=145173940}} Critics describe such practices as a form of domestic abuse.{{cite news|last=Zadrozny|first=Brandy|author-link=Brandy Zadrozny|date=19 June 2013|title=Spanking For Jesus: Inside The Unholy World Of 'Christian Domestic Discipline'|website=The Daily Beast|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/06/19/spanking-for-jesus-inside-the-unholy-world-of-christian-domestic-discipline.html}}

A few countries have a judicial corporal punishment for adults.

File:Pomlázka.jpg (Czech: pomlázka; Slovak: korbáč)]]

On the first day of the lunar Chinese New Year holidays, a week-long 'Spring Festival', the most important festival for Chinese people all over the world, thousands of Chinese visit the Taoist Dong Lung Gong temple in Tungkang to go through the century-old ritual to get rid of bad luck. Men traditionally receive spankings and women get whipped, with the number of strokes to be administered (always lightly) by the temple staff being decided in either case by the god Wang Ye and by burning incense and tossing two pieces of wood, after which all go home happily, believing their luck will improve.{{Cite news |date=26 January 2004 |title=Ring in the new year with a spanking for luck |work=Independent Online |location=Cape Town |url= https://www.corpun.com/twi00401.htm}}

On Easter Monday, there is a Slavic tradition of spanking girls and young ladies with woven willow switches (Czech: pomlázka; Slovak: korbáč) and dousing them with water.{{Cite book|author1=Ember, Melvin|title=Encyclopedia of sex and gender: men and women in the world's cultures|author2=Ember, Carol R.|publisher=Kluwer Academic/Plenum|year=2004|isbn=0-306-47770-X|location=New York|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=oGasFR3USxYC 382]}}{{Cite book|author=Montley, Patricia|title=In Nature's Honor: Myths And Rituals Celebrating The Earth|publisher=Skinner House Books|year=2005|isbn=1-55896-486-X|location=Boston, MA|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=cxzHq4SmCucC 56]}}{{Cite book|author=Knab, Sophie Hodorowicz|title=Polish customs, traditions, and folklore|publisher=Hippocrene|year=1993|isbn=0-7818-0068-4|location=New York}}

In Slovenia, there is a jocular tradition that anyone who succeeds in climbing to the top of Mount Triglav receives a spanking or birching.{{cite news |last=Walters |first=Joanna |date=12 November 2000 |title=Reach for the top and a birching |newspaper=The Observer |location= London |url= https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2000/nov/12/climbingholidays.slovenia.observerescapesection}}

In Poland there is a tradition named Pasowanie, which is celebrated on the 18th birthday. The birthday person receives eighteen smacks with the belt from the guests at the birthday party.[https://kobieta.onet.pl/dziecko/nastolatki/zabawa/dorota-zawadzka-krytykuje-zwyczaj-bicia-pasem-na-osiemnastce/kdpemec Dorota Zawadzka krytykuje zwyczaj bicia pasem na osiemnastce] - Dziecko. (in Polish). 8 june 2021.

Birthday spanking is a tradition within some parts of the United States. Within the tradition an individual (commonly, though not exclusively, a child) upon their birthday receives, typically corresponding to their age, a number of spanks. Characteristically these spankings are playful and are administered in such a fashion so the recipient receives no or only minor discomfort.

• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Corporal punishment
• Erotic spanking
• Caning in Singapore
• Easter whip

Notes

{{Reflist}}

{{Wiktionary|spanking}}

{{commons category|Spanking}}

• [https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/communication-discipline/Pages/Disciplining-Your-Child.aspx American Academy of Pediatrics What's The Best Way to Discipline My Child?]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160205190104/http://www.cebc4cw.org/program/safe-environment-for-every-kid-seek-model/detailed The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare]
• [https://www.healthysteps.org Healthy Steps]
• [https://helpmegrownational.org Help me Grow]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20170330044041/https://www.akronchildrens.org/cms/triple_p/index.html Triple P – Positive Parenting Program] (archived 30 March 2017)
• {{YouTube|K1sr-NjFUEE|Hollywood Encouraged The Spanking and Abuse of Women Onscreen}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Corporal punishments

Category:Traditions

Category:Pain infliction methods

Category:Youth rights

Category:Children's rights

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