The Trauma Of Corporal And Non-Corporal Punishment

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 2 May 2025 Mehnaz Akber Aziz wrote in The News (Pakistan), "As the World took cognisance of the International Day to End Corporal Punishment of Children which fell on April 30, the question again arises: where does Pakistan stand in protecting its children from being beaten in institutional settings? " While Ms Aziz's concern for the children of Pakistan is alright and understandable, India is also not far behind on this count as many kids in India and many parts of the world have gone through this trauma. By the way, the International Day to End Corporal Punishment is celebrated annually on April 30th. This day is a global call to action to end all forms of violent punishment against children, advocating for their protection and well-being. It's a time to raise awareness, support child victims, and urge governments to ban corporal punishment and implement legal reforms. All types of school, home and institutional punishment meted out to children should be condemned. Non-physical punishment also comes under it. But verbal jibes, being invisible and intangible, have a more adverse effect on the minds of impressionable kids. Physical or mental punishment, although it’s supposed to be about discipline, often inflicts deeper emotional and physical damage in children. Governments have a key role to play, and countries are coming together to call for more urgent action to ban and eliminate corporal and mental punishment. Implementing legal reforms is key to stopping corporal and non-corporal punishment - to send the message that any kind of punishment is unacceptable. An 18-year old Sri Lankan girl, Sneha Henarathmudali, has rightly written that, "Even what some may consider a ‘light slap’ could lead to serious consequences, especially for younger kids. Neuroscience shows that repeated punishment can change how a child’s brain develops, affecting emotions and decision-making, similar to trauma. The effects don’t fade with age; they often last a lifetime." Spare the rod and spoil the child is an archaic and obsolete Biblical proverb that has completely lost its relevance. But the Bible also says, ' Violence begets violence.' Former jailer of Tihar Jail, Sunil Gupta, observed that many hardcore criminals used to be punished by their parents and teachers when they were kids. That embittered them for life. Ranga and Billa, who were hanged at Tihar on January 31, 1982 for raping and killing a Naval officer's young kids in 1978, were repeatedly punished during their childhood even when they were not at fault. By teaching respect instead of fear, children will automatically learn to be responsible, emotionally strong adults. Like M K Gandhi said, peace begins with children and that means raising them with patience, not pain. Corporal punishment, at any age, has a debilitating effect on all individuals involved in it. One physician, addressing the Kazan Medical Society in 1895 said that it 'not only debases but even hardens and brutalizes human nature'. Chekhov, who was also a practising physician, denounced corporal punishment, adding that it coarsens and brutalizes not only the offenders but also those who execute the punishments and those who are present at it. Teachers and parents' scathing and sarcastic comments have ruined the lives of many kids. Even a seemingly innocuous comparison among the kids and offspring could have far-reaching ramifications. After all, comparisons are always odious. Snide remarks are also punishments, albeit not obvious. Any kind of punishment isn’t discipline, it’s damage. It creates fear, not respect; silence, not growth. Remember, one cannot prevent abuse through discipline, when abuse and discipline feel exactly the same. From the Islamic perspective, One specific Hadees, narrated by Dawud, states that parents should encourage children to pray by the age of seven and, if they do not, gently beat them by the age of ten. This Hadees is often cited in discussions about corporal punishment. While the Quran doesn't explicitly forbid corporal punishment, it also doesn't endorse it. The Quran emphasizes the importance of patience, understanding, and guidance in raising children. Lastly and interestingly, Britain was the last developed country where beating school children was respectable. This was outlawed only in 1988 - by one vote in Parliament. Parents are now almost the last people left who can hit children without fear of penalty, as long as it's moderate and fitting punishment...the language of authority still derives from violence, mistakenly, tragically. ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/trauma-non-corporal-punishment/d/135397 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism