DAY 02 OF THE 30 DAYS CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
In commemoration of the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse – November 19
Brought to you by the Centre for Total Child Development (CTCD)

WHAT IS CHILD PHYSICAL ABUSE AND CORPORAL PUNISHMENT?

Definitions of Physical Abuse

Physical Abuse involves the use of violent physical force so as to cause actual or likely physical injury or suffering. It involve hitting, punching, shaking, throwing, poisoning, biting, burning or scalding, drowning, female genital mutilation, torture, suffocating or otherwise causing intentional physical harm to a child. (These symptoms could also indicate harm to self, such as, cutting and suicide ideation).

Signs of physical abuse
* Bruises, burns, sprains, dislocations, bites, cuts
* Improbable excuses given to explain injuries
* Injuries which have not received medical attention
* Injuries that occur to the body in places that are not normally exposed to falls, rough games, etc.
* Repeated urinary infections or unexplained stomach pains
* Refusal to discuss injuries
* Withdrawal from physical contact
* Arms and legs kept covered in hot weather
* Fear of returning home or of parents being contacted
* Showing wariness or distrust of adults
* Self-destructive tendencies
* Being aggressive towards others
* Being very passive and compliant
* Chronic running away

Corporal or physical punishment (and the threat of it) is the deliberate use of pain to punish. This includes hitting the child with the hand or with an object (such as a cane, belt, whip, shoe, etc); kicking, shaking, or throwing the child, pinching or pulling their hair; forcing a child to stay in uncomfortable or undignified positions, or to take excessive physical exercise; and burning or scarring the child.

Corporal punishment is frequently used both in schools and at home in Nigeria. Parents exercise wide ranging leeway with few limitations when disciplining their children. The standards of what is considered acceptable vary, however significantly from one community to another.

What is the impact of physical abuse?

Physical effects

The consequences of physical punishment can range from physical pain, minor cuts and bruises to serious injuries resulting in chronic physical disability.

Research has shown that physical and humiliating punishment is an ineffective discipline strategy for children of all ages and that is often dangerous. One of the concerns is that the effectiveness of punishment decreases with use, so its severity must be systematically increased.

As they become desensitised to what they are doing and frustrated by the diminishing returns, parents, teachers and other carers may move from light slaps to hard blows. As a result, children may suffer injuries that need medical attention, leave permanent damage, and even cause their death.

Psychosocial effects

Although the physical consequences are more immediate and obvious, it is the long term psychosocial aspects which give raise to most concern. No matter what their age, children’s developing minds are damaged by violent treatment. There is a relationship between physical and humiliating punishment and depression, low self-esteem, negative psychological adjustment and poor relationship with parents.

The following list provides some of the better understood psychosocial effects of physical punishment of children.

• It lowers children's self–esteem, teaching them poor self-control and promoting negative expectation of themselves. The child feels a sense of worthlessness.
• It interferes with the learning process and with their cognitive, sensory and emotional development.
• It discourages the use of reasoning. By doing away with dialogue and reflection, it hampers the capacity to understand the relationship between behaviour and its consequences.
• It makes children feel lonely, sad and abandoned, diminishing their confidence in society as a protective environment.
• It promotes a negative view of other people and of society as a threatening place.
• It can quickly lead to a loss of interest in learning.
• It creates barriers that block parent-child and/or teacher-child communication and damages the emotional links between them.
• It can stimulate anger and for some desire to run away from the school or home.
• The strongest, usually unintended, message that physical and humiliating punishment sends to the mind of the child is that violence is acceptable behaviour, and that it is alright for a stronger person to use force to coerce a weaker one.

Violence begets violence. It teaches violence and revenge as a solution to problems, and it perpetuates itself, as children imitate what they see adults doing.

As a result of corporal or physical punishment the child learns that the adult is superior, and the use of force – be it verbal, physical, or emotional – is acceptable, especially over younger, weaker persons. This lesson can lead to bullying and violence in school, where older children dominate younger ones and force them into giving the bullies money, food, homework, or other valuable items.

Think back to your own schooling. Were you or any of your friends ever physically or emotionally punished? Most likely you will say “Yes” because corporal punishment is a common practice throughout the world. While most of us would condemn violence in general – and violence towards adults, especially – few people in the world have given any serious attention to violence against children.

Why? Longstanding traditions and cultural beliefs exist that perpetuate the use of corporal punishment in many societies.

What can be done instead to discipline?

Reinforcing discipline is a positive attribute teachers encourage with children: Punishment is a harmful (and often unsuccessful) way of responding to indiscipline.

Combating Myths about Corporal Punishment

Read through the below myths. Do any of these sound familiar? What do you think of the answers?

Myth # 1: “It happened to me and did me no harm.”

Fact: Though they may have felt fear, anger, and mistrust from being hit by parents or teachers, people who use this argument often do it to reduce the guilt they have for using physical punishment on their children. They are defending their violent actions against their children. However, their actions show that corporal punishment did, in fact, do them harm: it continued the cycle of violence that they now use on their children. Similarly these children are more likely to continue the violence for generations to come. Many things that former generations used to do are no longer common practice now.

Myth # 2: “Nothing else works!” or “They ask for it!”

Fact: While positive discipline requires developing a trusting, mutually respectful relationship between a child and his or her teacher, inflicting pain on a child is really a lazy way out. It is an admission that we have failed to do what it takes to help the child to learn and internalize good behaviour. If we regularly use corporal punishment, it will take time and effort for new methods to work. If we have been yelling, threatening, or physically punishing our students for a long time, it is difficult to build an effective, trusting relation- ship with them overnight. This may create the feeling that nothing else works, or that the children are “asking” to be beaten; but the problem is the approach, not the misbehaviour of the children. Beside, do you normally hit your boss, employee, spouse, or best friend when it appears that “nothing else works”? Hopefully not!

Myth # 3: “Corporal punishment works best. Other methods don’t.”

Fact: Getting your students to behave through fear of punishment is not the same as discipline. Corporal punishment seems to work only if you look at it superficially and in the short-term. Corporal punishment teaches children to do what you say, but only when you are around. In effect, it teaches them to lie about misbehaviour to avoid being hit or punished in some other degrading manner. By creating a sense of dis- trust and insecurity in the child, it destroys the teacher-child relationship. Children become angry at why someone who is supposed to teach and care for them is instead threatening, beating, or insulting them. While a single act of corporal punishment may seem to be effective, it only temporarily frightens a child into submission.

Myth # 4: “Corporal punishment teaches obedience.”

Fact: In the past, it may have been the practice to teach children never to question authority, but times have changed. Many teachers are adopting child-centred learning techniques that encourage children to explore, to think for themselves, to ask questions, and to learn the joy of finding answers as a major way of learning. Corporal punishment, however, stops a child from questioning, thinking critically, and achieving personal goals; yet these are qualities that both adults and children need in order to excel in a dynamic, competitive, and innovative society. Enforcing blind obedience through the threat of corporal punishment greatly stifles initiative and creativity in children (and adults).

Myth # 5: “I only do it as a last resort. I had no choice.”

Fact: This excuse rationalizes for us, and teaches our students, that the use of violence as a last resort is justified and ok. This argument is not acceptable; for example, is a husband justified in hitting his wife as a last resort? It should be no more acceptable when it comes to our students. Besides, it is quite common for parents and teachers to result to physical punishment at the first instance – not as a last resort – and for very minor misconduct.

Myth # 6: “It’s the only way I can control the children in my class. I have too many!”

Fact: This excuse is common among teachers who face large classes, sometimes between 40-100 children all in one class. It usually arises because the classroom has no set rules or routines; the children do not know what is expected of them and the consequences for misbehaving; and the teacher did not take the time to build a positive relationship with the children so they would want to be good. This may be due to his or her authoritative classroom management style, one that says, “I’m the teacher and we’ll do things my way!” In trying to maintain control, the teacher may also use corporal punishment not just to stop misbehaviour in one child, but also to put fear into the hearts of the other children so, hopefully, they won’t misbehave as well (but they do). Enforcing blind obedience through threats of physical violence does not encourage children to learn from the teacher, only to fear him or her. As a result, they don’t want to learn, which makes our job harder, and they don’t learn well, which reflects poorly on our performance as a teacher.

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If you know any child that is going through any form of child abuse please help the child to get help by reporting the abuse to the appropriate authority. CHILD ABUSE is all forms of physical and/or emotional maltreatment, sexual abuse, neglect, commercial or other exploitation of a child resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity.

In all actions concerning the child, his or her best interest and well-being must be given paramount consideration.

The use of a child for the purpose of begging for alms, prostitution, domestic or sexual labour, as a slave or practices similar to slavery, forced or compulsory labour or for any purpose that deprives the child of the opportunity to attend and remain in school is a crime and it attracts imprisonment for a term of 10 years.

Employing any person under 18 years as domestic help outside his home or family environment is a crime that attracts 5 years imprisonment.

Anybody who has sexual intercourse with a child less than 18 years will be convicted to imprisonment for life.

Exposing or involving a child in the use of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances is an offence liable to life imprisonment.

Every form of child abuse is a serious offence that is punishable by the law. Every child has the right to be free from every form of abuse.

Report any cases of child abuse to the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), your state Ministry of Women and Children Affairs or any NGO (Non-governmental Organisation) that advocates for the rights of children. If you notice any form of child abuse and you do not report, you are as guilty as the person committing the crime. Let’s join our hands to make the world a better place for children to live and grow.

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The Centre for Total Child Development, Ibadan cordially invites you to her 2021 ANNUAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION CONFERENCE and the Child Development in Nigeria Merit Award

THEME: Protecting Children, Promoting Healthy Families and Preserving Communities

FEATURES: Plenary Sessions | Workshops | Skill Seminars | Walk Against Child Abuse | Inter-School Child Abuse Awareness Competition | Award Presentations & Prize Giving

DATE: 19th and 20th November, 2021

VENUE: Oyesina Hall, Oke Bola, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

TIME: 9.00am prompt

PARTICIPANT: Students in secondary schools, voluntary organisations, religious institutions and orphanage homes, teachers, parents, children workers, and other stakeholders

ATTENDANCE: Attendance is FREE but registration is a MUST. To register please call/sms/whatsapp: 08180495451 or send email to emailtotalchild@gmail.com

SPONSORS & VOLUNTEERS ARE WELCOME

If you are interested in what we do, you can get involved in 3 ways:
1. Volunteer Partner: Join our vibrant team of volunteers to administer support to the children and young people coming for the Conference.
2. Resource Partner: Donate academic materials, products and other gift items to be given freely to the children and young people coming for the conference. You can also donate materials, equipment and facilities to support our cause.
3. Financial Partner: Donate fund to help us execute this Conference
For more information please contact:

CENTRE FOR TOTAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT
18, Anfani Road, Off Ring Road, Challenge, Ibadan
www.facebook.com/totalchilddev
www.instagram.com/totalchildev
Tel: 08180495451; 08101809463

Stop the child abuse