Modern Study: A Third of Germans Label "Spanking" as Permissible
- 2 Min
One-third of Germans accept physical knee-slap as a socially acceptable behavior. - Over a third of Germans approve of physical gestures such as a "pat on the back" or "pat on the butt."
In the eyes of the law, every child deserves nurturing, educational opportunities, and a life free from physical abuse, verbal harm, and other degrading treatments – as vouched for in the Civil Code for more than two decades. Yet, it appears that the reality in various households deviates markedly from this legal framework, as indicated by a recent study on the Day of Peaceful Education.
Though most citizens reject physical chastisement, not all participants in the investigation differentiate corporal punishment from violence. Consequently, 30.9% of the respondents find it acceptable to administer a "spanking," and 14.5% even favor a "light slap." This representative survey, orchestrated by the University Clinic of Ulm on behalf of UNICEF, surveyed roughly 2500 individuals aged 16 and older.
The Persistence of Violence Against Children
Though these findings may surprise, a clear improvement can be observed: The percentage of those who deem physical violence in education acceptable has significantly decreased since the new millennium. In 2005, about 75% of respondents admitted to sometimes giving their children a "spanking," but in 2016 and 2020, this figure dropped to 45% and 43%, respectively.
However, certain views persist: 5% of respondents agreed that "a good thrashing" never harmed a child. Notably, men are more likely than women to endorse physical punishment. Additionally, there are substantial differences among generations: While 43% of individuals aged 61 to 92 view a "spanking" as generally acceptable, this figure falls to only 17% for those aged 16 to 30.
A Need for Progress
Though progress has been made in addressing violence in child-rearing practices over the past few decades, much remains to be accomplished. Chiefly, researchers, including child and adolescent psychiatrist Jörg M. Fegert, propose an expansion of the definition of violence. For some individuals, a "spanking" of a child is not currently considered violence, despite evidently being so.
Furthermore, "especially psychological violence and emotional abuse in education still receive inadequate attention – despite their recognized negative impact on child development," according to the study's author, Fegert.
Sources: DPA, "Mirror"
- The community policy, as agreed by UNICEF, advocates for protecting children from all forms of violence, including physical punishment like spanking and corporal punishment, to ensure a nurturing and safe environment for child development.
- Employment policy, particularly in the health-and-wellness and mental-health sectors, may need to address the persistent use of spanking as a form of discipline, as evidence suggests that it can have detrimental effects on child development.
- The study conducted by the University Clinic of Ulm showed that while a majority of Germans reject physical chastisement, individuals from different age groups and genders hold varying views on the acceptability of spanking, with the older generation being more likely to support it.
- In light of the challenges in addressing violence in child-rearing practices, scientists propose expanding the definition of violence to include psychological violence and emotional abuse in education as these aspects have a significant impact on child development and currently receive insufficient attention.
