Dear all
I am very impressed that my report of a small step towards banning on corporal punishment in japan has led to the interest of many members around the world and discussions at this forum.
My mother, over 90, seems to have given me the punishment of slapping me and trapping me in a closet, but my memory is ambiguous.
I have several lectures at the faculty of Social welfare for ten years. I ask undergraduate students about their experience of corporal punishment and ask their attitudes towards corporal punishment.
The students are before learning the details of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Nearly half of them have their experiences of corporal punishment, and surprisingly two-thirds think when they become parents, they answer that they will have an unavoidable need for corporal punishment.
The journey of thinking and behavioural change starts from this point.
When discussing this issue in a forum among paediatricians like CHIFA in Japan, very sadly, not a few paediatricians have expressed their opposition to prohibiting corporal punishment.
They are based on a positive opinion of their own experiences of corporal punishment and seem to be linked to a strong emotional resistance that banning corporal punishment leads to their own current denial.
There are various situations depending on the countries and the regions.
I would like to mention the situation in Japan if there is another opportunity.
However, I understand that the essence of this issue is "children have the right to optimise their own capabilities, and in that sense, corporal punishment is never accepted".
I look forward to furthering discussions.
Kind regards,
Hajime
CHIFA profile: Hajime Takeuchi is a professor at the Bukkyo University in Japan. Professional interests: child health, child poverty, child wellbeing. takechanespid@gmail.com He is a CHIFA Country Representative for Japan and a member of the CHIFA Steering Group (child health and rights) http://www.hifa.org/support/members/hajime takechanespid AT gmail.com
