Cadle 1

Kevin Cadle

Ms. Gardner

English 10H/Period 4

9 May 2017

Time to Punish Overdue Abusers

According to the Child Domestic Violence Associations article 10 Startling Statistics

about Children of Domestic Violence, about 5 million children worldwide endure some form of

domestic violence every year. And this statistic only includes noted cases; many instances of

child abuse remain unreported and unnoticed by the public. Child abuse is described as any type

of cruelty inflicted upon a child, including physical harm, mental trauma, neglect, sexual abuse,

or exploitation. Child abuse is a leading problem in our society, as adults who experienced or

witnessed abuse during their life often exhibit emotional and behavioral problems. As a result of

an arduous childhood, individuals who were abused or neglected are more likely to continue the

cycle and employ violence and brutality (Springer). Under current law, any person convicted of

child abuse faces a wide variety of punishments, which are determined by the severity of the

abuse. An abuser may face fines, probation, incarceration, or other punishments, including the

loss of a child to the state or a restraining order. Although many parents use spanking and light

forms of physical punishment to discipline their children, corporal punishment against young

children should be classified as child abuse and therefore be punishable by law, as it inflicts

alarming physical pain, inimical mental harm, and encourages violent behavior, leading to

countless complications in their near future.

 Cadle 2

Initially, many would argue that parents should be able to discipline their children in any

way they see fit, including physical punishment to inflict pain. For example, some claim the

Bible allows physical punishment, as the verse from Proverbs 23:13-14 reads Do not withhold

discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the

rod, you will save his soul from Sheol (Kauffman). Furthermore, others believe the reluctance

to discipline children is one step closer to a child-dominant society full of a new generation of

brats (qtd. in Llana). This idea is typically associated with European countries, such as France

and Sweden, rather than the United States. Although supporters of corporal punishment

recognize it causes pain, many believe it is effective in disciplining because it turns children

away from their mistakes in fear of getting abused again. Also, advocates will argue that,

because these children were disciplined and corrected at a young age, they are less likely to be

obnoxious or intolerable in the future. This creates the assumption that corporal punishment

corresponds to better outcomes. It is clear many view corporal abuse as an acceptable, effective

form of discipline. However, these people ignore the multiple negative effects- physical pain,

mental abuse, violent desires- abused children face, at the time of the abuse and even long into

their future.

Occasionally, corporal punishment such as a spanking may be the proper discipline,

resulting in well behaved children who understand and have learned from previous mistakes.

However, when considering the physical harm it entails, it is an inhumane practice of discipline

and should result in punishment. Kristen Springer, Associate Professor and Under Graduate

Director of Sociology at Rutgers University, notes, Childhood physical abuse also predicted

severe ill health and an array of specific medical diagnoses and physical symptoms. This was
 Cadle 3

the exact case for Sandy Hasse, a women who grew up with an angry, violent father in Orange

County in the 1960s; she describes her fathers punishments as angry, severe and scary. One

instance left her in need of bandages to cover and protect her wounds (qtd. in Hanes). These

resulting injuries complicated Hasses health and physical state as a young girl, disabling her for

countless days at a time. Personally, I have encountered a similar case with a close friend; she

would occasionally come to school with bandages and extra clothes to cover the bruises and

open cuts. Physically, she was unable to participate in her sports practices or physical education,

as the injuries were far too severe. Parents seemingly use many objects to implement this abuse,

ranging anywhere from their hands to paddles and coat hangers; in my friends situation, the

abuser used a fist and a paddle. For example, concerning Adrian Petersons case of child abuse,

Stephanie Hanes, a photographer, producer, and author of Modern Parenthood, confirms, Mr.

Peterson had hit his son repeatedly with a switch, the common name for a thin, flexible twig or

stick, leaving multiple cuts and bruises on the boy. Based on the research and cases, corporal

punishment often leaves physical reminders of the pain children endure; this pain often affects an

individual's movement and lifestyle outside of the house. The abuse has proven to occasionally

lead to permanent health issues and even death. If you understand the feeling of pain and the

physical limitations it bears, why should society and law allow this practice to occur without any

punishment or consequence?

Along with physical pain, research displays the damaging mental harm corporal

punishment causes for underaged people. Children who were spanked, declares medical and

science writer Susan Perry, were, for example, more likely to be aggressive, to display

antisocial behaviormore likely to have low self-esteem and to have lower cognitive abilities.
 Cadle 4

These children become extremely self conscious and think lesser of themselves because of the

brutal treatment. Abused children were also more likely to defy their parents, meaning corporal

punishment is an ineffective form of discipline (Perry). Accomplished writers and reporters

Miranda Klein and Lex Tamalo report:

Multiple bodies of research indicate that beatings can damage trust between educator and

student, make a student more likely to drop out of school and also experience feelings of

resentment, anger, helplessness, bitterness or depression.

Many studies highlight the depression and sadness abused children face; they are forced

to cope and deal with their issues alone. With abusive, violent guardians, these kids are unable to

receive the help they need, and as a result, resort to unhealthy methods to temporarily reduce the

pain. Pam Peeke, the Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of

Medicine, highlights these effects:

Harvard researchers examined the relationship between child abuse, post-traumatic stress

disorder and addictive eating, which is defined as the overconsumption of processed food

products and is associated with a loss of control as well as shame, blame and guilt.

Studying more than 40,000 women from the Nurses' Health Study, an ongoing health

assessment study, the team led by womens health expert Susan Mason (who is now on

faculty at the University of Minnesota) found that a history of severe physical or sexual

abuse was associated with an astonishing 90 percent increase in addictive eating behavior

as a self-soothing coping mechanism.

Clearly, corporal punishment entails much more than simply physical harm; it is obvious

peoples thoughts and actions are greatly impacted. They are often deterred from their typical life
 Cadle 5

and experience multiple changes which further complicate their situation. Most of the mental

illnesses are chronic as a result of the constant beatings and abuse. After the physical pain

subsides, the mental games begin; corporal punishment bears countless health issues on the

developing children, while the perpetrator simply stands around and watches, found guilty of

nothing.

As if temporary physical harm and mental illness were not enough, corporal punishment

is ultimately still in effect long after the abuse; it encourages a violent lifestyle, meaning abused

children are likely to continue using abuse and brutality following their childhood. Klein and

Tamalo highlight Dr. Joseph Bocchini, a Shreveport pediatrician, professor, and chairman of the

Department of Pediatrics at LSU Health Shreveport, and his opinion concerning corporal

punishment: The older a child is, the more likely they are going to respond by using physical

force, and there is a great deal of data to support that. As a result, the amount of abused children

continue to rise because they often repeat similar patterns they experience; this has the potential

to harm and sever the relationship between parent and child. Cathleen Chen, a hematologist in St.

Louis Park, Minnesota, states:

Child development experts and medical boards including the American Academy of

Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association almost uniformly oppose the practice and

cite research dating to the 1990s showing it can lead to aggressive and harmful behaviors in

children.

The effects of simple spankings stayed with abused individuals until adulthood. Studies

show adults who were abused during their childhood were more likely to be antisocial and have

mental illness (Perry). This information provides another effect of corporal punishment against
 Cadle 6

developing children, and another reason why it should not be legal. It further develops the

severity of this form of discipline, as it highlighs the detrimental effects years later. The research

shines light on the reasoning for continued abuse. Corporal punishment has proven to greatly

impact children years after the initial discipline; abusers should not get away with their actions

and should face proper punishment.

Ultimately, corporal punishment against the underaged should result in punishment by

law in that it causes physical pain, damaging mental harm, and promotes violent behavior,

prompting lifelong struggles. Physical punishment harms the young, developing children in

multiple ways; for example, abused kids tend to struggle in school and are more likely to exhibit

forms of criminality throughout their lives. How would you feel if you discovered a beloved

child was being secretly abused and beaten without help or hope, while the offender faces no

punishment for their unjust actions?

 Cadle 7

Works Cited

10 Startling Statistics about Children of Domestic Violence. CDV, 22 Aug. 2016,

cdv.org/2014/02/10-startling-domestic-violence-statistics-for-children/.

Chen, Cathaleen. "Can You Spank Kids and be Foster Parent? Mass. High Court Says no."

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Jan, 2016, SIRS Issues Researcher,

https://sks.sirs.com.

Hanes, Stephanie. "To Spank Or Not to Spank: Corporal Punishment in the US." Christian

Science Monitor, 19 Oct, 2014, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.

Kauffman, Gretel. "Is the Bible a Defense for Corporal Punishment of Children?" Christian

Science Monitor, 01 Sep, 2016, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.

Klein, Miranda, and Lex Talamo. "Parents at Odds Over Corporal Punishment." Town Talk, 11

Dec, 2016, pp. A.2, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.

Llana, Sara M. "To Spank Or Not to Spank? France, Europe Spar Over Parental Discipline."

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Mar, 2015, SIRS Issues Researcher,

https://sks.sirs.com.

Peeke, M.D. Pam. "The Real Impact of Child Abuse on Life Span." U.S. News & World Report.

U.S. News & World Report, 15 Sept. 2016.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/

2016-09-15/the-real-impact-of-child-abuse-on-life-span.

Perry, Susan. "Spanking Worsens Children's Behavior and is Linked to Long-Term.."

MinnPost.com, 02 May, 2016, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.

 Cadle 8

Springer, Kristen W., Jennifer Sheridan, Daphne Kuo, and Molly Carnes. "Long-term Physical

and Mental Health Consequences of Childhood Physical Abuse: Results from a

Large Population-based Sample of Men and Women." Child Abuse & Neglect.

U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 2007.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3031095/.