A BETTER FUTURE FOR CHILDREN WITHOUT VIOLENCE: EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE FOR ENDING CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

PAFRA Panel
July 21, 2022

Corporal punishment of children is legal in Australia. In fact, 61% of Australians aged 16-24 who took part in the national Australian Child Maltreatment Study experienced corporal punishment as children. This has lifelong adverse effects on mental health. However, international research from some of the 64 countries where corporal punishment is banned, shows that once legislation is introduced, parents use better strategies to teach their children acceptable behaviour.

It’s time to reform our current legislation, give parents access to alternative evidence-based parenting strategies, and increase public awareness of corporal punishment and its effects.

During this seminar you will hear about:

· the current state of legislation

· research on harmful impacts

· alternative parenting strategies

· international experiences of banning corporal punishment

· recommendations and call to action

Presenters:

· Professor Ben Mathews, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology

· Professor Daryl Higgins, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University

· Professor David Hawes, School of Psychology, Co-Director - Child Behaviour Research Clinic, University of Sydney

· Professor Sophie Havighurst, Mindful: Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne