Save the Children Sweden, regional office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, has recently submitted a report on physical and psychological punishment of

children to the UN Study on Violence against Children: What children say: Results of comparative research on physical and emotional punishment of children in

Southeast, East Asia and Pacific in 2005.

This publication is the result of an unprecedented study of children's experiences of physical and emotional punishment, coordinated between teams from eight

different countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Cambodia, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, The Philippines, and Viet Nam)

involving more than 3000 children and over 1000 adults.

A code of ethics was maintained throughout the exercise, and researchers were responsible for making sure that the research did no harm to the children, and

that participation was voluntary.

The findings highlight the extraordinary levels and types of violence to which children are subjected in the name of discipline and childrearing - a violence

that becomes part of their psychological and social makeup and thus integral to all levels of society and all human relationships.

One clear message from this research is that a contradiction is revealed when what children say is compared with what adults say. Although adults say direct

assaults are not an appropriate way to punish children, children report the main form of punishment they receive is direct assaults. Adults do not act

according to what they say they believe. This leaves children with a range of problems when they try to assimilate the obvious contradictions in the

discipline they receive.

For more information, contact:
Save the Children Sweden
Torsgatan 4, SE 10788, Stockholm, Sweden
Tel: + 46 8 698 9000; Fax: + 46 8 698 9010
Email: info@rb.se
Website: http://www.rb.se

[Source: CRIN]