Beating the Devil Out of Them

Spanking has long been a standard method of punishment in homes around the world. Also while there has always been some concern raises about whether or not it is an acceptable form of discipline, until now, no-one has made a scientific link between spanking and violent behaviour in adults who were spanked as children. The work of Murray Straus indicates that spanking is indeed a form of violence, and that such treatment not only adversely affects the children who experience it, but society as a whole. Straus here argues that corporal punishment is a factor in many conduct disorders, from attacks on siblings to juvenile deliquency, wife beatings and other crimes. Further, he demonstrates that putting an end to such punishment is one of the most important steps that can be taken in our quest for a less violent world.