Long-Term Impact of Physical Abuse in Childhood - Case Study Example

Corporal punishment Affiliation Corporal punishment of children involves physical impacts through processes such as canning of the children in the buttocks and palm. Physical abuse as a form of corporal punishment in children causes emotional and physical damages to them. In the long run, the more children are abused, the more the consequences they face. The initial effects the children gain from violence are emotional trauma and pain. When the abuse the child undergoes is extreme, the corporal punishment may result in death. The report is to base on the research carried out on the physically abused children and the families where they belong (Bitensky, 2006). The research also focuses on the comparison of children that are abused and those not experiencing corporal punishment in terms of their self-control, their performance in academics, self-image and the social relationship with others in the community (Bitensky, 2006). The impacts of corporal punishment on children include behavioral, psychological, physical, and societal consequences. The results however in reality are difficult to separate as one leads to the other (Curwin, Mendler & Mendler, 2008). For instance, physical effects that a child undergoes such as the damage to the brain can lead to psychological consequences such as delay in the emotions (Curwin, Mendler & Mendler, 2008). Long-term physical child abuse through corporal punishment leads to impaired developments of the brain. Research shows that physical child abuse can result in substantial parts of the brain failing to develop or grow properly leading to impaired developments (Donnelly & Straus, 2005). These alterations in the maturity of the brain have long-term consequences on the child in language cognitive and academic abilities. The argument by researchers is based on the research that was carried out and published by Child Welfare Information gateways on the impact of mistreatments in a child (Donnelly & Straus, 2005). Introduction Corporal punishment through physical child abuse in the long term can have long-term health effect on the physical health of the children. Recent research conducted by NSCAW has found that at some point in 3 years after physical abuse in the children, 28 percent of children abused have had chronic health conditions. There are several outcomes identified by the researchers. Abuse head trauma is an inflicted injury to the head that is a result of shaking and blunt impact to the head. Head trauma is a common cause of death for infants. The effect can also lead to long-term physical disability to the child such as brain or eye damage (Ennew & Plateau, 2005). Childhood abuse can lead to disordered interpersonal relationships. For example, the children may feel difficulty in trusting others within adult relationships as they think adults are always violent. Long-term corporal punishment leads to impaired developments of the brain. Research shows that corporal punishment can result in substantial parts of the brain leading to impaired development (Millar, 2004). . Most child abuse is through the parents who at the childhood experienced corporal punishment. The factors that lead to mistreatment of children include poverty, mental health problems, and abuse of alcohol and drugs. There is however uncertainties in the frequency and severity of mistreatments that the children undergo (Natale, Libertella & Hayward, 2000). The study tends to explain the impacts that the children have because of mistreatment. There are immediate results of the physical injuries, but the study is based on the long-term effects. Corporal punishment is a punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain to a child that is suspected of committing a crime for perceived offense. The punishment is done to children through the action of paddling, spanking or caning by guardians, schoolteachers, parents or other officials. The form of punishment was carried out mostly in the civil times, but the growths that have been in humanitarians have viewed the punishments as being inhumane. In the 20th century, most of the corporal punishments had been eliminated in the legal system of most countries due to their inhuman nature (Srivastava, 2013). In some countries, home corporal punishments are legal but they are restricted such that actions including blows to the head are not allowed or children with some age limit not to be. In the United States, Asian and African countries, corporal punishment by parents are legal, and it is legal in the nations to use some implements such as belts or paddle (Srivastava, 2013). Corporal punishment in school for children misbehaving has been banned in many countries. The form of punishment is that which involves striking the children in the buttocks or the palm. There have been restrictions in other countries such as in Singapore where corporal punishment in school is meant only for boys. Corporal punishment in Asia is in the current considered a human rights violation. The persisting legality and social approvals of violent punishment is a reflection of the low status of children in the society as they are considered possessions rather than those that own rights. The study aims at bringing out different corporal punishment in various countries and regions of Asia. The report also brings the legality that is in the practices. Corporal punishment in Asia Long-term physical child abuse through corporal punishment leads to impaired developments of the brain. Research shows that physical child abuse can result in substantial parts of the brain failing to develop or grow properly leading to impaired developments. Corporal punishment in Asia is divided according to regions in Asia. In Southwest Asia, a majority of countries in the region features a high level of physical punishment and violence on children. Communities in the area accept corporal punishment with no measures that have been put in place to prohibit the use of corporal punishment. There are countries in Southwest Asia where the practice has been abolished including Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Kuwait, and Lebanon. In Iran, punishment for someone who kills his child is for decision by the judge. Two nations in the region have banned corporal punishment not only in school but also in the homes where they live. The first government that took the step of the prohibition was Cyprus in 1994. The other country that took the action was Israel. The ban was in 2000 by the Supreme Court and was the ratified by Knesset in the same year. The decision was welcomed in the country since physical punishment was much in Asia (Walsh, Cowles, Lee & Aufderheide, 2002). There are countries in Southwest Asia where the practice has been abolished including Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Kuwait, and Lebanon. In Iran, punishment for someone who kills his child is for decision by the judge. The situation in South Asia is similar to the one in Southwest Asia. The situation in the region is due to lack of awareness, restrictive measures and lack of preventive measures. Nations in the region such as Sri Lanka, child abuse is observed in some villages. In Bangladesh, there has been pointing of a committee by police to guard against abandoned children. The country has the consideration that a country that tolerates corporal punishment in children is that which is rarely expected to protects the children against the manifestation of violence. Bhutan as a nation holds that there should be no corporal punishment in children, but the country has no legal provisions that are at corporal punishment (Song & McKnight, 2001). The state only holds that the judges are expected to make the right decisions involving corporate punishment with the principles of natural justice. Teachers training institutes in the country however strongly discourage the use of punishment as a form through which children are to be punished. In India, there have been a few cases of children being beaten at school. There have been policies and movements that have come about to fight against corporal punishment in schools for the children. The government in the country is also much concerned with corporal punishment and those that carry out the activities face the law. Maldives have made efforts in combating the use of physical punishment in children (Song & McKnight, 2001). Pakistan has banned corporate punishment in schools and operated in accordance to U.N Conventional on the Rights of children. Corporal punishment in the country was abolished in 2004. In Southeast Asia, corporal punishment has been customary in schools and families even after they were abolished. Chinese-run schools in Malaysia have a reputation for discipline. In Singapore, studies show that there is caning of two out of three children who are for not completing their assignments in school or misbehaving in school. In the country, some children are canned on a weekly basis. Report, as obtained from Thailand, shows that there the society, through the ages have accepted that children can be by teachers under the control of their parents. The culture of the country allows corporal punishment as a way through which children are as a way of caring for the children (Nelsen, 2007). Things in the current situation are changing as the government is currently in the actions of putting a stop to corporal punishment. There are different views of corporal punishment in East Asia. In China and North Korea, the relationship that children have with their parents are considered and described to be idyllic. In the countries, the parents do not beat their children as a punishment but it is out of love so that they make the children inculcate morality and discipline. The evidence that have been brought out in studies carried in China shows that corporal punishment is widespread among families as traditions in the country stresses on obedience. In South Korea, the parents feel that teachers should be allowed to beat their children for the purposes of education. The case is similar to that in Taiwan and Japan. In Mongolia, the situation is that children end up in ending up running out of their parental homes and schools as an action to escape the violence and harsh physical punishment that they undergo. There have been several initiatives put forward to reduce corporal punishment in Asia. In March 2009, there was collaboration between Save the Children and Global Initiative to end all the corporal punishment in Asia. There was a review of 40 rights of children from all the Asian countries. The rights were evaluated so that rules are put into place so that corporal punishment is put to an end. Most child abuse is Asia is through the parents who at the childhood were also physically mistreated (Nelsen, 2007). The factors that lead to children to be mistreated and mishandled physically include poverty, mental health problems, and abuse of alcohol and drugs. There is however uncertainties in the frequency and severity of mistreatments that the children undergo. The review of the punishments brought the differences in the policies that are in the different countries and regions. The aim of initiatives that are founded to reduce corporal punishment in children is to be through a standard rule that will legally be implemented in all the countries to make sure there is observation of children rights. Different countries have also formulated their legal actions to reduce corporal punishment such as Pakistan has banned corporate punishment in schools and operate in accordance to U.N Conventional on the Rights of children (Franklin, 2006). Corporal punishment in the country was abolished in 2004. Effects of corporal punishment Corporal punishment has been studied and experienced to have several effects on children both positively and negatively. Corporal punishment has been regarded as violation of children rights leading to its prohibition by international human rights. The following are some of the negative effects of the corporal punishment. The evidence that have shown the effects that corporal punishment has on children is currently overwhelming. Studies that have been carried out on the issue include in the Global Initiatives displays the link that occurs between corporal punishment and a given range of negative outcomes. The summary of adverse outcomes of corporal punishment include inadequate moral internalization and increase in antisocial behavior, increased aggression in children, direct physical harm, negative impact on physical and mental health, damaged education, increased acceptance and use of other forms of the violence and damage in the relationships that children have with their parents (Drewes, 2004). Corporal punishment has been studied to be the cause of death of thousands of children in the world on a yearly basis due to direct physical harm that in turn results in many injuries and physical impairments to children. Various researches carried out on the effects of corporal punishment attest to the physical violence those children experiences in different regions of the countries. This kind of punishment always involves ruthless actions where children are with objects and hands, kicked, shaken and times forced to maintain positions that are worse uncomfortable and painful. These punishments are always regarded as an abuse of children as far as their rights are concerned. Therefore this kind of physical punishment, however, mild or light they are, they should be prohibited since many results to the inbuilt risk of escalation on children who might in turn be relative and punitive. Besides, the corporal punishment results increased aggression in children. Research studies shows that children that have undergone corporal punishment are always more aggressive to their fellow peers and their parents through their various acts of bullying and using violent ways to resolve conflicts among themselves. These kinds of children regard aggression as a reflexive response to the pain they have experienced during punishments (Drewes, 2004). Most of the children use or copy the same punishment rendered on them by their parents on their fellow children or peers so that they get the things they want, that is they demonstrate the feeling of aggression after undergoing such punishment. Corporal punishment also worsens moral internalizations and increases antisocial behaviors among children. That is, instead of corporal punishment instilling healthy behaviors on children and making them learn what their parents’ wants of them, they in turn learn ways that are antisocial which are not good for their well-being. Several studies carried shows that corporal punishment has been a significant contributor of behaviors such as lying, bullying, cheating, truancy, and involvement in crime among children and young adults. Corporal punishment has been found not to teach children how they behave and does not help them in understanding how the behavior that has affected the others (Natale, Libertella & Hayward, 2000). The punishment instead of teaching the children the right behavior they are to develop, it teaches the children not good to be caught in some acts. The punishment is also found to decrease the compliance the children have and the long-term relationship between the children and their parents. It introduces fear and undermining the robust behavior motivating love of the children and the respect that they have for their parents and other adults involved in their education and care. The violent behavior that children adopt due to corporal punishment persists into adulthood. Corporate punishment is closely related to violence and coexists with it. Corporal punishment perpetuates itself. Through this, adults that experience corporal punishment are likely to expand the punishment to their children, as they tend to approve its use. Corporal punishment is physically and emotionally painful as it is to ill health in childhood. The punishment through studies has been found to have mental problems in the child through anxiety orders, depression, hopelessness, and behavior disorders. The studies suggest that the health disorders in the later stages of the child are with alcohol and drug dependency, low self-esteem, hostility, emotional instability and attempts of suicide. The adverse effects the occur as a result of corporal punishment impact on the physical health of the children as they have been associated to experiences of physical illness such as suffering injuries and accidents being hospitalized and development of habits that put their health at risk (Natale, Libertella & Hayward, 2000). Impaired cognitive development can occur because of corporal punishment. There are associations between corporal punishment and low IQ scores. The relationships are due to the punishments that the children experience in school and at home through their parents. The children who experience corporal punishment are less likely to graduate from college, have highly earning jobs, and have high status. Corporal punishment damages the relationship that children have with their parents. Young children who are physically punished by their parents have been found to distance themselves with their parents than those that are not. Punishment by mothers to their children makes the children distance themselves from their mothers and have poor family relationships during their adolescent stages. Long-term physical child abuse leads to impaired developments of the brain. Research shows that physical child abuse can result in important parts of the brain failing to develop or grow properly leading to impaired developments. The alterations that are in the maturity of the brain have long-term consequences on the child in language cognitive and academic abilities. There is no evidence that have brought the positive effects of corporal punishment. The corporal harm however only causes a negative impact on the children, both short and long term. In carrying out punishment and enforcing respect on children, it is important to consider and respect the rights ‘of the child to health, protection, and development and education requirements. Conclusion Physical abuse in children damages children emotionally and physically. The more the children are abused, in the long run, the more the consequences that they face. Long-term physical ill-treatment of children leads to impaired developments of the brain. Research shows that physical child abuse can result in substantial parts of the brain failing to develop or grow properly leading to impaired developments. Corporal punishment in Asia is divided according to regions in Asia. In Southwest Asia, majority of countries in the region features a high level of physical punishment and violence on children. There are countries in Southwest Asia where the practice has been abolished including Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Kuwait, and Lebanon. In Iran, punishment for someone who kills his child is for decision by the judge. The situation in South Asia is similar to the one in Southwest Asia. In Bangladesh, there has been pointing of a committee by police to guard against abandoned children. Bhutan as a nation holds that there should be no corporal punishment in children, but the country has no legal provisions that are at corporal punishment. In India, there have been a few cases of children being beaten in school. There have been policies and movements that have come about to fight against corporal punishment in schools for the children. In Southeast Asia, corporal punishment has been customary in schools and families even after they were abolished. Report, as obtained from Thailand, shows that there are the societies through the ages have accepted that children can be by teachers under the control of their parents. In China and North Korea, the relationship that children have with their parents are considered and described to be idyllic (Natale, Libertella & Hayward, 2000). The evidence that have shown the effects that corporal punishment has on children is currently overwhelming. Studies that have been carried out on the issue include in the Global Initiatives displays the link that occurs between corporal punishment and a given range of negative outcomes. The summary of negative outcomes of corporal punishment include poor moral internalization and increase in antisocial behavior, increased aggression in children, direct physical harm, negative impact on physical and mental health, damaged education, increased acceptance and use of other forms of the violence and damage in the relationships that children have with their parents. The arguments that have been made show that corporal punishment is a practice that is undesirable, as it has; no benefits but only bring harm to children affecting the general health and behavior of the children. Recommendation Discipline is an issue that is much common in the care given to children. The role of maintaining discipline is in those that spend most times with the children at home and in school. Keeping the children, however, should not be carried out through corporal punishment as it mainly inflict pain and make the children exposed to risk factors instead of keeping them discipline. Parents are advised to use other methods of showing the children the activities that they should carry out and those that they are not. There are different strategies that can reduce the physical punishment that children undergo. The effect can be by development approach to discipline. The strategy that can be in this aspect is through provision of general daily routine to children structured to enable them learn the mistakes that they make and correct them. The discipline should be when the children have become more mobile and interact more with the environment. The discipline here will be limiting on the activities that they are engaged. Countries are expected to develop situations that ensure corporal punishment is not carried out in any culture. This helps impaction the development of poor health status. The laws that are used in guiding punishment of children should be in children rights laws. The laws should be also chargeable in the court of laws. The initiatives that have been formed to supervise the punishments that children undergo should strictly make sure that there are no physical punishments given to the children by their parents or their teachers. More researches are supposed to be in the cultures that insist on corporal punishment as a way of making children disciplined. Those with the belied are also to be on the effects that the mode of punishment leads to in children, as most of the communities are not aware on the long-term effects caused by corporal punishment. Policies should be with consideration of accurate data obtained rather than assumptions that are made from the regions or data that is obtained from other countries. The aim of initiatives that are founded to reduce corporal punishment in children is to be through a common rule that will legally be implemented in all the countries to make sure there is observation of children rights. References Batten, D. (2011). Gale encyclopedia of American law. 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