Corporal punishment is defined as physical punishment that causes pain or discomfort to a child. It includes actions like hitting, kicking, pinching, and forcing uncomfortable positions. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act prohibits physical and mental punishment in schools. Spanking specifically refers to striking a child's buttocks with an open hand without injury. Physical punishment goes beyond just pain and can cause bruising or bleeding. Frequent or harsh spanking has been linked to increased aggression, diminished relationships between parents and children, poorer mental health, and increased criminal behavior later in life. The Juvenile Justice Act prescribes punishment for cruelty against children.

1. Corporal Punishment
and its Effects

2. Definition
What is corporal
punishment?
 By definition, corporal punishment means
punishment that is physical in nature. While
there is no statutory definition of ‘corporal
punishment’ targeting children in the Indian
law, the Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009
prohibits ‘physical punishment’ and ‘mental
harassment’ under Section 17(1) and makes it
a punishable offence under Section 17(2)

3. .
What is spanking?
 Most psychologists define
spanking in terms of striking the
child on the buttocks or
extremities with an open hand
without inflicting physical injury
with the intent to modify
behavior.

4. .
What is physical punishment?
 Physical punishment usually
entails causing more than just
pain to the child or victim;
bruising, bleeding, or scars may
be left behind
According to the Guidelines for Eliminating Corporal Punishment in
Schools issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child
Rights (NCPCR), physical punishment is understood as any action that
causes pain, hurt/injury and discomfort to a child, however light.
Examples include hitting, kicking, scratching, pinching, biting, pulling
the hair, boxing ears, smacking, slapping, spanking, hitting with any
implement (cane, stick, shoe, chalk, dusters, belt, whip) and so on. It
includes making children assume an uncomfortable position (standing
on bench, standing against the wall in a chair-like position, standing
with school bag on head, holding ears through legs, kneeling, forced
ingestion of anything, detention in the classroom, library, toilet or
any closed space in the school.

5. Punishable offence
Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act prescribes punishment for
cruelty to children.
Whenever a child is assaulted, abused, exposed or neglected in a
manner to cause physical or mental suffering by any person employed
by or managing an organisation, which is entrusted with the care and
protection of the child, the punishment would be rigorous imprisonment
up to five years and fine up to Rs.5 lakh.
If the child is physically incapacitated or develops a mental illness or is
rendered mentally unfit to perform regular tasks or has risk to life or
limb, then imprisonment may extend up to ten years.

6. Severity and
Frequency
How harsh or how hard is the
spanking of the child?
How often a child should be
spanked?
Once a month
Three times a week
Is one more harmful than the
other?

7. Effects of Spanking
Increase of Aggressiveness
Decreased internalization of morals
Diminished quality of parent-child
relations
Poorer child and adult mental health
Increased delinquency and antisocial
behavior for children
Increased criminal and antisocial
behavior for adults

8. Conclusion
Spanking turns into an endless
cycle effecting both parent/child
relationship, child/teacher
relationship, and grown up
child/spouse relationship

9. Research Question
What are the harmful and/or
beneficial effects corporal
punishment has on a child?

10. Questions?
&
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