Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T23:58:39.154Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Role of Corporal Punishment of Children in the Perpetuation of Intimate Partner Violence in Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2018

Angelika Poulsen
Angelika Poulsen*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2600, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Angelika Poulsen, PhD candidate, Department of Sociology, Australian National University, ACT., Acton, ACT 2600, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been widely acknowledged as a prominent problem throughout Australia. A growing body of research has linked corporal punishment of children in the home with numerous adverse outcomes both in childhood and adulthood. Some of these adverse outcomes in childhood, such as aggression and antisocial behaviour, may be antecedents for involvement in violence as an adult. Adverse longitudinal outcomes of corporal punishment in childhood include involvement in intimate partner violence as an adult, both as victim and as perpetrator. Corporal punishment is a type of family violence that is legal in Australia, yet its role in the family violence scenario is not yet fully appreciated. This article presents extant scientific literature on the link between corporal punishment in childhood and involvement in intimate partner violence in adulthood, and argues for the employment of this knowledge in the implementation of policy making around corporal punishment of children.

Keywords

corporal punishmentdomestic violencefamily violenceintimate partner violenceintergenerational transmission of violence
Type
Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , March 2018 , pp. 32 - 41
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Afifi, T. O., Ford, D., Gershoff, E. T., Merrick, M., Grogan-Kaylor, A., Ports, K. A., . . . Bennett, R. P. (2017a). Spanking and adult mental impairment: The case for the designation of spanking as an adverse childhood experience. Child Abuse and Neglect, 9(71), 24–31.Google Scholar
Afifi, T. O., Mota, N., Sareen, J., & MacMillan, H. L. (2017b). The relationships between harsh physical punishment and child maltreatment in childhood and intimate partner violence in adulthood. BMC Public Health, 17, 493. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5442668/.Google Scholar
Anderson, J. F., & Kras, K. (2007). Revisiting Albert Bandura's social learning theory to better understand and assist victims of intimate personal violence. Women and Criminal Justice, 17(1), 99–124.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2013). Personal safety survey 2012. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mf/4906.0.Google Scholar
Bandura, A. (1973). Aggression: A social learning analysis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Baron, L., & Straus, M. A. (1989). Four theories of rape in American society: A state level analysis. New Hampshire: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Bevan, E., & Higgins, D. J. (2002). Is domestic violence learned? The contribution of five forms of maltreatment to men's violence and adjustment. Journal of Family Violence, 17(3), 223–245.Google Scholar
Bussmann, K. (2004). The subtle impact of a ban of CP in childrearing. Results of the evaluation of the German prohibition. Child Abuse Review, 13, 292–311.Google Scholar
Bussmann, K., Erthal, C., & Schroth, A. (2009). The effect of banning CP in Europe: A five-nation comparison. Retrieved from http://www.gruppocrc.net/IMG/pdf/Bussman_-_Europe_5_nation_report_2009.pdf.Google Scholar
Caesar, P. L. (1988). Exposure to violence in the families-of-origin of wife abusers and maritally non-violent men. Violence and Victims, 3(1), 49–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carroll, J. C. (1977). The intergenerational transmission of family violence: The long-term effects of aggressive behaviour. Aggressive Behaviour, 3, 289–299.3.0.CO;2-O>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chung, D., & Wendt, S. (2015). Domestic violence against women: Policy, practice and solutions in the Australian context. In Day, A. & Fernandez, E. (Eds.), Preventing violence in Australia: Policy, practice and solutions. (pp. 202–215). Annandale: The Federation Press.Google Scholar
Contreras, M., Heilman, B., Barker, G., Singh, A., Verma, R., & Bloomfield, J. (2012). Bridges to adulthood: Understanding the lifelong influence of men's childhood experiences of violence. International Center for Research on Women. Retrieved from https://www.icrw.org/publications/bridges-to-adulthood.Google Scholar
Costa, B. M., Kaestle, C. E., Walker, A., Curtis, A., Day, A., Toumbourou, J. W., & Miller, P. (2015). Longitudinal predictors of domestic violence perpetration and victimisation: A systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behaviour, 24, 261–272.Google Scholar
Council of Australian Governments (COAG). (2015). The national plan to reduce violence against women and their children 2010–2022. Retrieved from https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/women/programs-services/reducing-violence/the-national-plan-to-reduce-violence-against-women-and-their-children-2010-2022.Google Scholar
Deater-Deckard, K., Ivy, L., & Petrill, S. A. (2006). Maternal warmth moderates the link between physical punishment and child externalising problems: A parent-offspring behaviour genetic analysis. Parenting, 6(1), 59–78.Google Scholar
Deater-Deckard, K., Lansford, J. E., Dodge, K. A., Pettit, G. S., & Bates, J. E. (2003). The development of attitudes about physical punishment: An 8-year longitudinal study. Journal of Family Psychology, 17(3), 351–360.Google Scholar
Dietz, T. L. (2000). Disciplining children: Characteristics associated with the use of corporal punishment. Child Abuse and Neglect, 24(12), 1529–1542.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Douglas, E. M., & Straus, M. A. (2006). Assault and injury of dating partners by university students in 19 countries and its relation to corporal punishment experienced as a child. European Journal of Criminology, 3(3), 293–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Durrant, J. (2000). A generation without smacking: The impact of Sweden's ban on physical punishment. Save the children. Retrieved from http://www.endcorporalpunishment.org/assets/pdfs/reference-documents/Durrant-GenerationwithoutSmacking-2000.pdf.Google Scholar
Dutton, D. G. (1994). The origin and structure of the abusive personality. Journal of Personality Disorders, 8(3), 181–191.Google Scholar
Ehrensaft, M., Cohen, P., Brown, J., Smailes, E., Chen, H., & Johnson, J. (2003). Intergenerational transmission of partner violence: A 20-year prospective study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71(4), 741–753.Google Scholar
Feldman, C. M. (1997). Childhood precursors of adult interpartner violence. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 4(4), 307–334.Google Scholar
Ferguson, C. J. (2013). Spanking, corporal punishment and negative long-term outcomes: A meta-analytical review of longitudinal studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 196–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fox, G., & Benson, M. (2004). Violent men, bad dads? Fathering profiles of men involved in intimate partner violence. In Day, R. D. & Lamb, M. (Eds.), Conceptualizing and measuring father involvement. (pp. 359–384). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associate Publishers.Google Scholar
Garcia-Moreno, C., Jansen, H. A., Ellsberg, M., Heise, L., & Watts, C. H. (2006). Prevalence of intimate partner violence: Findings from the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence. Retrieved from http://cdrwww.who.int/gender/violence/who_multicountry_study/Introduction-Chapter1-Chapter2.pdf.Google Scholar
Gelles, R. J., & Cavanaugh, M. M. (2005). Violence, abuse and neglect in families and intimate relationships. In McHenry, P. C. & Price, S. J. (Eds.), Families and change: Coping with stressful events and transitions (3rd ed., pp. 129–154). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Gershoff, E. T. (2002). Corporal punishment by parents and associated child behaviours and experiences: A meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 128(4), 539–579.Google Scholar
Gershoff, E. T., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (2016). Spanking and child outcomes: Old controversies and new meta-analyses. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(4), 453–469.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gershoff, E. T., Sattler, K. M. P., & Ansari, A. (2017). Strengthening causal estimates for links between spanking and children's externalising behaviour problems. Psychological Science. In Press.Google Scholar
Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (2017). Retrieved from http://www.endcorporalpunishment.org.Google Scholar
Goddard, C., & Bedi, G. (2010). Intimate partner violence and child abuse: A child-centred perspective. Child Abuse Review, 19, 5–20.Google Scholar
Gracia, E., Rodriguez, C. M., Martin-Frenandez, M., & Lila, M. (2017). Acceptability of family violence: Underlying ties between intimate partner violence and child abuse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. In Press.Google ScholarPubMed
Guedes, A., & Mikton, C. (2013). Examining the intersections between child maltreatment and intimate partner violence. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 14(4), 377–379.Google Scholar
Haselschwerdt, M. L., Savasuk-Luxton, R., & Hlavaty, K. (2017). A methodological review and critique of the “intergenerational transmission of violence” literature. Trauma, Violence and Abuse. In Press.Google Scholar
Heinonen, A. (2015). Neutralizing disciplinary violence: A typology of parents’ use-of-violence accounts. Victims and Offenders, 10, 270–292.Google Scholar
Heise, L. (1998). Violence against women: An integrated, ecological framework. Violence Against Women, 4(3), 262–290.Google Scholar
Heise, L. (2011). What works to prevent partner violence? An evidence overview. Working paper (version 2.0). Retrieved from www.oecd.org/derec/49872444.pdf Google Scholar
Heise, L., Ellsberg, M., & Gottemoeller, M. (1999). Ending violence against women. Population Reports. Center for Health and Gender Equity. Retrieved from https://www.k4health.org/sites/default/files/L%2011.pdf.Google Scholar
Herzberger, S. D., & Tennen, H. (1985). The effect of self-relevance on judgements of moderate and severe disciplinary encounters. Journal of Marriage and Family, 47(2), 311–318.Google Scholar
Holden, G. W., Brown, A. S., Baldwin, A. S., & Caderao, K. C. (2014). Research findings can change attitudes about CP. Child Abuse and Neglect, 38(5), 902–908.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holter, O. G., Svare, H., & Egeland, C. (2009). Gender equality and quality of life: A Norwegian perspective. The Nordic Gender Institute (NIKK). Retrieved from http://www.nikk.no/wp-content/uploads/NIKKpub2009__ligestillingspolitik_M%C3%A6nd-og-maskuliniteter-_Gender-Equality-Qualit-yo-fLifeEng.pdf.Google Scholar
Holzer, P., & Lamont, A. (2010). Corporal punishment: Key issues. Australian Institute of Family Studies. Retrieved from https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/corporal-punishment-key-issues.Google Scholar
Hotaling, G. T., & Sugarman, D. B. (1986). An analysis of risk markers in husband to wife violence: The current state of knowledge. Violence and Victims, 1(2), 101–124.Google Scholar
Jasinski, J. L. (2001). Theoretical explanations for violence against women. In Renzetti, C. M., Edleson, J. L. & Bergen, R. K. (Eds.), Sourcebook on violence against women (pp. 5–21). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Inc.Google Scholar
Kalmuss, D. (1984). The intergenerational transmission of marital aggression. Journal of Marriage and Family, 46(1), 11–19.Google Scholar
Kaufman, J., & Zigler, E. (1987). Do abused children become abusive parents? American Journal of Ortho-psychiatry, 57, 186–192.Google Scholar
Khaleque, A., & Rohner, R. P. (2002). Perceived parental acceptance-rejection and psychological adjustments; A meta-analysis of cross-cultural and intracultural studies. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 64, 54–64.Google Scholar
Kish, A. M., & Newcombe, P. A. (2015). Smacking never hurt me! Identifying myths surrounding the use of corporal punishment. Personality and Individual Differences, 87, 121–129.Google Scholar
Kishor, S., & Johnson, K. (2005). Profiling domestic violence: A multi-country study. Calverton, MD: ORC MACRO.Google Scholar
Lansford, J. E. (2014). Parents’ aggression toward children and children's own aggression. In Selin, H. (Ed.), Parenting across cultures: Childrearing, motherhood and fatherhood in non-Western cultures, Science across cultures: The history of non-Western science, vol. 7 (pp. 445–458). Dordrecht: Springer Science+Business Media.Google Scholar
Lansford, J. E., & Dodge, K. A. (2008). Cultural norms for adult corporal punishment of children and societal rates of endorsement and use of violence. Parenting, 8, 257–270.Google Scholar
Lansford, J. E., Deater-Deckard, K., Bornstein, M. H., Putnick, D. L., & Bradley, R. H. (2014). Attitudes justifying domestic violence predict endorsement of corporal punishment and physical and psychological aggression towards children: A study in 25 low-and middle-income countries. Journal of Pediatrics, 164, 1208–2013.Google Scholar
Larzalere, R. E., & Kuhn, B. R. (2005). Comparing child outcomes of physical punishment and alternative disciplinary tactics: A meta-analysis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 8(1), 1–37.Google Scholar
Levtov, R., van der Gaag, N., Green, M., Kaufman, M., & Barker, G., (2015). State of the world's fathers: A MenCare advocacy publication. Washington, DC: Rutgers, Save the Children, Sonke Gender Justice and the MenEngage Alliance. Retrieved from https://www.savethechildren.net/sites/default/files/libraries/state-of-the-worlds-fathers_12-june-2015.pdf.Google Scholar
Lussier, P., Farrington, D. P., & Moffitt, T. E. (2009). Is the antisocial child father of the abusive man? A 40-year prospective longitudinal study of the developmental antecedents of intimate partner violence. Criminology, 47(3), 741–780.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Markowitz, F. E. (2001). Attitudes and family violence: Linking intergenerational and cultural theories. Journal of Family Violence, 16(2), 205–218.Google Scholar
Merrick, M. T., Ports, K. A., Ford, D. C., Afifi, T. O., Gershoff, E. T., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (2017). Unpacking the impact of adverse childhood experiences on adult mental health. Child Abuse and Neglect, 69, 10–19.Google Scholar
Mouzos, J., & Makkai, T. (2004). Women's experiences of male violence: Findings from the Australian component of the International Violence Against Women Survey. Australian Institute of Criminology. Retrieved from http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/56/rpp056.pdf.Google Scholar
Mulroney, J. (2003). Australian statistics on domestic violence. Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Topic Paper 3. Retrieved from http://www.stvp.org.au/documents/Compendium/Statistical%20Data/Australian%20Domestic%20and%20Family%20Violence%20Clearinghouse%20Topic%20Paper.pdf.Google Scholar
Oram, S., Khalifeh, H., Trevillion, K., Feder, G., & Howard, L. M. (2014). Perpetration of intimate partner violence by people with mental illness. European Journal of Public Health, 24(2).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paolucci, E. O., & Violato, C. (2004). A meta-analysis of the published research on the affective, cognitive and behavioural effects of corporal punishment. The Journal of Psychology, 138(3), 197–222.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Philips, J., & Vandenbroek, P. (2014). Domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia: An overview of the issues. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved from http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1415/ViolenceAust.Google Scholar
Pinheiro, P. S. (2006). World report on violence against children. United Nations. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/lac/full_tex(3).pdf.Google Scholar
Rohner, R. P. (1990). Handbook for the study of parental acceptance and rejection. Storrs, CT: Rohner Research.Google Scholar
Rowland, A., Gerry, F., & Stanton, M. (2017). Physical punishment of children: Time to end the defence of reasonable chastisement in the UK, USA and Australia. International Journal of Children's Rights, 25(1), 165–195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sherrard, J., Ozanne-Smith, J., Brumen, I. A., Routley, V., & Williams, F. (1994). Domestic violence: Patterns and indicators (Report no. 63). Melbourne: Accident Research Centre, Monash University. Retrieved from http://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/216537/muarc063.pdf.Google Scholar
Simons, D. A., & Wurtele, S. K. (2010). Relationships between parents’ use of corporal punishment and their children's endorsement of spanking and hitting other children. Child Abuse and Neglect, 34, 639–646.Google Scholar
Simons, R. L., Johnson, J., Beaman, J., & Conger, R. D. (1993). Explaining women's double jeopardy: Factors that mediate the association between harsh treatment as a child and violence by a husband. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 713–723.Google Scholar
Simons, R. L., Lin, K. H., & Gordon, L. C. (1998). Socialisation in the family of origin and male dating violence: A prospective study. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 467–478.Google Scholar
Simons, R. L., Wu, C., Johnson, C., & Conger, R. D. (1995). A test of various perspectives on the intergenerational transmission of domestic violence. Criminology, 33(1), 141–172.Google Scholar
Smith-Marek, E. N., Cafferky, B., Dharnidharka, P., Mallory, A. B., Dominguez, M., High, H., Stith, A. M., & Mendez, M. (2015). Effects of childhood of family violence on adult partner violence: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 7, 498–519.Google Scholar
Stith, S. M., Rosen, K. H., Middleton, K. A., Busch, a. L., Lundeberg, K., & Carlton, R. P. (2000). The intergenerational transmission of spouse abuse – A meta-analysis. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 62(3), 640–652.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A. (1983). Ordinary violence, child abuse and wife-beating. In Finkelhor, D., Gelles, R. J., Hotaling, G. T. & Straus, M. A. (Eds.), The dark side of families: Current family violence research (pp. 213–234). Newbury Park: Sage.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A. (1990). Ordinary violence, child abuse and wife beating: What do they have in common? In Straus, M. A. & Gelles, R. J. (Eds.), Physical violence in American families: Risk factors and adaptations to violence in 8,145 families (pp. 403–424). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A. (1991). Discipline and deviance: Physical punishment of children and violence and other crime in adulthood. Social Problems, 38, 101–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Straus, M. A. (1994). Beating the devil out of them: Corporal punishment in American families. New York: Lexington Books.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A. (1996). Spanking and the making of a violent society. Pediatrics, 98(2), 837–843.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A. (2009). Beating the devil out of them: Corporal punishment in American families and its effects on children. New Brunswick: Transaction Publisher.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A. (2010). Prevalence, societal causes, and trends in corporal punishment by parents in world perspective. Law and Contemporary Problems, 73(2), 1–30.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A. (2014). Addressing violence by female partners is vital to prevent or stop violence against women: Evidence from the multisite batterer intervention evaluation. Violence Against Women, 20(7), 889–899.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A., & Kaufman, G. K. (1994). Corporal punishment of adolescents by parents: A risk factor in the epidemiology of depression, suicide, alcohol abuse, child abuse and wife beating. Adolescence, 28(115), 543–563.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A., & Stewarts, J. H. (1999). Corporal punishment by American parents: National data on prevalence, chronicity, severity, and duration, in relation to child and family characteristics. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 2, 55–70.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A., & Yodanis, C. L. (1996). Corporal punishment in adolescence and physical assaults on spouses later in life: What accounts for the link? Journal of Marriage and Family, 58(4), 825–841.Google Scholar
Straus, M. A., Gelles, R. J., & Steinmetz, S. K. (1980). Behind closed doors: Violence in the American family. New York: Doubleday/Anchor.Google Scholar
Sykes, G. M., & Matza, D. (1957) Techniques of neutralization: A theory of delinquency. American Sociological Review, 22(6), 664–670. Retrieved from http://www.socqrl.niu.edu/miller/courses/soci380/sykes%26matza.pdf.Google Scholar
Tajima, E. A. (2000). The relative importance of wife abuse as a risk factor for violence against children. Child Abuse and Neglect, 24(11), 1383–1398.Google Scholar
Taylor, C. A., Lee, S. J., Guterman, N. B., & Rice, J. C. (2010). Use of spanking for 3-year-old children and associated intimate partner aggression or violence. Paediatrics, 126(3), 415–424.Google Scholar
Temple, J. R., Choi, H. J., Reuter, T., Wolfe, D., Taylor, C. A., Madigan, S., & Scott, L. E. (2017). Childhood corporal punishment and future perpetration of physical dating violence. The Journal of Paediatrics. In press.Google Scholar
Tucci, J., Mitchell, J., & Goddard, C. (2006). Crossing the line: Making the case for changing Australian laws about the physical punishment of children. Australian Childhood Foundation.Google Scholar
Tucci, J., Saunders, B. J., & Goddard, C. R. (2002). Please don't hit me! Community attitudes toward the physical punishment of children. Australian Childhood Foundation.Google Scholar
UNICEF (2014). Hidden in plain sight: A statistical analysis of violence against children. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/publications/index_74865.html.Google Scholar
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (2006). The rights of the child to protection from CP and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment. General comment no. 8. Retrieved from www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/GC8_en.doc.Google Scholar
Vittrup, B., & Holden, G. W. (2010). Children's assessments of corporal punishment and other disciplinary practices: The role of race, SES, and exposure to spanking. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 31, 211–220.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation. (2004). Preventing violence: A guide to implementing the recommendations of the World report on violence and health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/media/news/08_09_2004/en/.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation. (2006). Intimate partner violence and alcohol. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/factsheets/fs_intimate.pdf.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation. (2012). Understanding and addressing violence against women: Intimate partner violence. Retrieved from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/77432/1/WHO_RHR_12.36_eng.pdf.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation. (2015). Violence against women: Global picture health response. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/VAW_infographic.pdf.Google Scholar