EDITORIAL - The corporal punishment dilemma

Is it time to end corporal punishment?

That question of whether or not our country should still in engage in corporal punishment is one that is often debated, with many persons standing on both sides of the argument. The pros believe that it is an effective way of disciplining children and even deterring them from doing wrong, and those against believe that it is abuse and that it is a violent act and violence promotes violence.

Now it seems we are set to do away with it sooner rather than later. Just this week Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite, indicated during a meeting with the new United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative to Barbados, that Government is committed to eliminating corporal punishment in keeping with its agreement to protect the rights of the child. But as the Attorney General is quoted as saying, should we actually go in this direction, efforts will have to be made to re-socialise our people, and to be honest, achieving that it will not be easily accomplished.

You see, one school of thought which many persons subscribe to says corporal punishment is a way to guide children in the right direction, and it prevents them from becoming lawless in adulthood. But there is also a school of thought that even minor spanking can increase the likelihood of those children becoming adults with problems of drug abuse, alcoholism, anxiety and depression. Both arguments seem plausible, so is there really a right or wrong answer to the question of using corporal punishment?

No one really talks about it, but the fact is that in Barbados and indeed in other parts of the world, corporal punishment remains a widely used form of discipline in the home and even schools. We have long preached the old adage of “spare the rod and spoil the child’, but that is being questioned repeatedly here and abroad, as persons question the impact that it has the development of the child.

But perhaps it depends on the situation and whether it warrants such a response or not. That is a rational way of approaching the issue, but if we are to be true to ourselves, we would have to admit that in cases where parents are in the heat of the moment and must punish their children, they are probably not thinking rationally. The fact is the actions of some parents to spank their children in the heat of the moment, could quickly turn to a case of assault. We have all seen the videos that have been circulated on social media of a mother or father losing it, so to speak, as they inflict corporal punishment on their children, and we all frown at it, condemn it and say not me. But it could be any one of us if we fail to control our tempers in such situations.

It is certainly easier to police corporal punishment in the school setting, than it is to police in the home. Added to that, we’ve done away with corporal punishment in our prison system, where we would find the most heinous of criminals; and if it is not suitable for them, how can it be suitable for our children?

So it is clear we have to address this matter. Whatever is decided as the best option for Barbados, we need to ensure that there is widespread public education about all forms of discipline, for if we choose to keep it, it should truly be a last resort.