Corporal punishment is a serious issue that leads to difficulties for both the victims and the imposers of the punishment. Aggression begets aggression, and for this reason spanking can lead to an increase in delinquent and antisocial behaviors during both childhood development and adulthood. It is also an incredibly emotionally exhaustive form of discipline for both the abuser and the abused – victims of spanking typically have decreased mental health both as a child and as an adult due to their experiences. Spanking can lead to:
- Increased child aggression
- Increased anti-social behaviors (e.g. delinquency)
- Decreased quality of parent/child relationships
- Decreased child mental health
- Increased physical abuse
- Increased adult aggression
- Increased adult criminal behavior
- Decreased adult mental health
- Increased risk of abusing own spouse or kid
Even though research has demonstrated the lasting ramifications of spanking, it is still a widely accepted discipline in America. The statistical findings are quite surprising:
- 25% of babies in the United States are hit by the age of six months and 50% are hit by the age of one.
- 90% of parents spank their toddlers at least three times a week; two-thirds spank them once a day.
- 68% of parents incorrectly believe that spanking is not only good, but essential in child rearing.
- 52% of 13 and 14-year-olds get spanked, as do 20% of high school seniors.
- 19 U.S. states allow school officials to hit children.
- $600 Billion is lost in the economy every year due to child abuse and maltreatment: this can be partitioned into productivity losses, medical costs, legal costs, and social welfare costs.
While 93% of parents allegedly spank, 85% say they would rather not if provided an acceptable alternative. As such, the Foundation for Peaceful Parenting aims to give parents the tools to make corporal punishment a thing of the past. We work with those in the community to not only relay the negative outcomes of physical punishment, but also promote the benefits of adopting a lifestyle of peaceful parenting.