Contribution to the discussion on the banning of corporal punishment of children

Abstract

This paper discusses the arguments pro et contra banning of corporal punishment of children, in light of existing comparative legal solutions, experience from foreign countries and results of scientific research on the effects of this method of child discipline. According to the current state of knowledge, the fact that corporal punishment of children does not produce long-lasting positive changes in behavior, but likely produces several detrimental consequences; implies that this child discipline method should be abandoned and substituted by alternative ones. The experience of countries where the corporal punishment of children has been outlawed for decades tells us this may be achieved primarily through awareness raising activities and measures aimed at empowering parents and caregivers. A tendency to equate corporal punishment with physical abuse may turn out to be ineffective in suppression of inadequate child discipline practices if the focus of societal reaction is predominantely put on punishment and stigmatization of parents and caregivers instead on their proper training and empowering, and activities aimed at raising public awareness on the rights of children.

U radu se razmatraju argumenti za i protiv zabrane fizičkog kažnjavanja dece u svetlu uporednopravnih rešenja, komparativnih iskustava i rezultata naučnih istraživanja o efektima ove prakse u disciplinovanju dece. Okolnost da, prema postojećim naučnim saznanjima, fizičko kažnjavanje dece ne proizvodi značajne pozitivne efekte, ali dovodi do određenih negativnih posledica, upućuje na to da ovu bi ovu praksu disciplinovanja trebalo napuštati i podsticati njenu supstituciju alternativnim metodama vaspitavanja dece. Iskustva zemalja u kojima već decenijama postoji zakonska zabrana fizičkog kažnjavanja dece govore da tom cilju treba težiti prevashodno podizanjem javne svesti i kroz mere osnaživanja roditelja i staratelja. Tendencija da se fizičko kažnjavanje izjednači sa fizičkim zlostavljanjem može se pokazati neproduktivnom u suzbijanju neadekvatnih praksi disciplinovanja i vaspitavanja dece ukoliko njen ishod bude to da se akcenat društvene reakcije stavi na stigmatizaciju i kažnjavanje roditelja i staratelja, umesto na njihovu edukaciju, osnaživanje i podizanje javne svesti o pravima deteta.