Should Smacking Be Banned In Britain?

Daniel Stern – 5L – Argumentative Essay : Should Smacking Be Banned In Britain?

The sound of crying fills the room as the young child tries to protect himself from his brutally violent parent. Frequently this occurs and the children can do nothing but weep loudly hoping that their parents will stop smacking them severely. I believe that smacking should be banned in Britain for several reasons. Firstly, children are the weakest and most fragile members of our society who must be protected from violent behaviour. Children are people- even if smaller and more delicate-with human rights. They are entitled to physical integrity just like adults. In addition, smacking is a serious form of violence, which should be outlawed in Britain. Parents may feel that smacking is an effective method in changing their children’s behaviour in the short term, because it creates fear and unhappiness. However, the long term consequences of a brutal and violent parental regime can often damage the child.

Children like adults are humans who deserve basic rights to protect them from mistreatment. It is socially unacceptable for one individual to hit or attack another person therefore this law should be extended to protect children in Britain. In Europe several countries have outlawed violent actions towards children in their society. Furthermore, these countries have been successful through allowing youngsters to have the same legal rights as adults. Several more countries are planning to ban physical chastisement against children in their country. For instance, Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Belgium and Ireland to name a few. The governments of the countries mentioned above are processing legislation to protect their children from the trauma and fear experienced due to severe physical rebuke. In Britain, the issue has been debated over for a long time and is a fairly controversial topic. The government says that it does not want to, and should not,interfere in the private relationship between parents and their children.

Discussions with more than seventy children ages between four and seven indicated that children felt smacking reinforced cycles of violent behaviour and as a result failed to create a positive relationship between parents and their child. Children who took part in this report emphasised the extreme fear they experienced at the thought of being smacked again. Consequently, children see their parents as vicious bullies who they can not defend themselves against since parents can hit back far harder. In July of this year ministers accepted a compromise in the Lords, which would allow parents to “lightly” smack their child ...

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I believe that smacking is a form of cruel behaviour towards children. There are several non-violent alternative methods used to reprimand children. Additionally, parents should try to create a warm and loving relationship with their children therefore praising good behaviour and setting good examples which smacking fails to set. I agree that some degree of exercising disciple is fundamental to readdressing conduct and improve society as a whole. Nevertheless, there are far better ways to discipline children and I feel that information about these various methods should be made more widely available to the public by the government

The Scottish parliament had voted to outlaw any shaking, hitting or beating of children or the use of an implement to discipline their child. Ministers in Scotland did not continue with the ban due to a significant wave of public opposition. In addition, most British citizens do not want a ban on smacking , according to a recent opinion poll. Nearly sixty percent of those who took part in the survey do not want smacking made illegal. Adults who are for smacking believe that it is a successful method used to discipline children at an early age. It is difficult to decide whether the British public are in favour of a ban on smacking since another poll carried out by the Children are Unbeatable Alliance suggests that seventy one per cent of people support a ban.

Smacking can be effective in the short term because it builds fear, misery, tension and general unhappiness within the child. Nonetheless, the negative effects often take the form of anti social behaviour and some children may begin to use violence against others. Moreover, the relationship between children and their parents is strained because of smacking, as parents may feel rather guilty afterwards. Most importantly, the child may begin to fear their parents too.

Children are the only group of people who do not have legal protection against all levels of violence.The British government should protect children from physical chastisement which often can lead to serious injuries and possible child abuse cases.I strongly feel that this method of discipline is not an effective way to alter a child’s conduct. There is little evidence to show that reprimanding children physically can improve their behaviour. Notably smacking sets an exceedingly amoral and unscrupulous message to their child. Furthermore, several studies conducted have shown that children who are physically punished appear to be more likely to adopt aggressive attitudes and become involved in bullying.

In recent years the British public has heard a substantial amount regarding the topic of “loving” smacks. It is true that the majority of parents love their children. Although love is rarely dominant in their minds as parents smack their beloved “little darlings”.

To sum up, the prove of the harmful effects of smacking are that to a child the trepidation, fear and apprehension caused by this act is universal regardless of the language barriers. In addition, British legislation forbids citizens from physically hurting another person yet there is no law protecting the weakest and most venerable group – children. Temporary relief can be gained through smacking although it is not a beneficial or valuable approach in teaching children how to co-operate and behave in society. How could any parent want to inflict pain on their child? The sense of hurt, which that particular child must feel emotionally as well as physically, must be immeasurable. The individuals who are supposed to love and care for them are unconditionally inflicting abuse on them.

How can we believe that smacking is acceptable?