swedish experience

["David C. Rainham" <stressdr@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I have mislaid the question about the results of the Swedish ban on
corporal punishment, but I have been in contact with the Swedish
Government about this as part of  a response to pro-spanking people
writing in the newspapers.
Our group - 'Action for Children' has a mission to eliminate child abuse
in our community in Waterloo Region, Ontario Canada  - and hopefully to
spawn other groups with the same mission.

Here's a summary of the reply from Sweden re spanking;

        "Ulla Tillgren" <ulla.tillgren@bo.se>
     To:
        <ohr@golden.net>

Dear Dave Rainham,

Thank you for your letter. We have just finished an article about The
Anti-spanking law in Sweden. I send it to you, bir the copyright belongs
to
The Parliament Magazine in London and they will publish the article in
January. You can use the facts, but not the article in your work.
If you are interested in these questions, pleas contact Mrs Bodil
Langberg
at The Parliamentary Committe against Abused Children in Sweden
(0)70-694 89
03 for more information.

Yours Sincerely,
Ulla Tillgren
Pressekreterare / Press Secretary
Barnombudsmannen / Children's Ombudsman
Box 22106
104 22 Stockholm
Norr Mälarstrand 6
Tel +46 (0)8-692 29 53
Mob +46 (0)70-212 29 53
Fax +46 (0)8-654 62 77
ulla.tillgren@bo.se
www.bo.se

 In Sweden we have had a ban on corporal punishment for more than twenty
years.  256 MPs voting for and 6 MPs voting against. The arguments
against were that the proposal was unnecessary and even dangerous.
  forbids physical punishment and degrading treatment. “Children are
entitled to care, security and a good upbringing. Children are to be
treated with respect for their person and individuality and may not be
subjected to corporal punishment or any other humiliating treatment.”
The law against chastising children is a civil law NOT Criminal code  -
which  decides if  an offence has been committed. It is judged   the
same   adults who commit acts of physical violence to adults or other
people’s children. Corporal punishment of children is lower in Sweden,
especially less serious  forms of corporal punishment .
More serious forms, such as blows with a blunt object may still be as
common. The shift in attitud  in Sweden on corporal punishment  started
even before the law.
. In 1965, 53% were positive towards corporal punishment of children -
today in Sweden probably less than 10% are positive to the use of
corporal punishment.
 The younger population is much less in favour of using physical
punishment than elder generations. This shows that the ban is widely
supported and well-known in Sweden even amongst young children.
A   brochure was sent out to every household in the country, explaining
the anti spanking ban and how to bring up children with  methods other
than physical punishment. Every community  offers new parents some form
of parental education,
Corporal punishment  has substantially decreased, especially  striking a
child with a fist,  a blunt object or the so called “good hiding”.  .
Forceful corporal punishment, which may potentially harm the child, also
has decreased significantly.
However, serious  forms of corporal punishment, such as  the use of
knives or firearms, has shown no decrease.
Perhaps malignant forms of corporal punishment,often result from
mental illness  personality disorders -  which are probably  little
affected by  changes of attitude in society.
As more and more people tend to report child abuse, it has become
confusing as to whether child abuse in Sweden has increased during the
last decades. Much of the violence which was “invisible” in the past has
come out into the open.
Schools and day-care centres and professionals which deal  with children
must report if they consider that a child is at risk   The increase of
reports of child abuse results from  increased awareness, rather than an
increase of actual violence
But even in Sweden there are still many children at risk who need to be
protected and supported -   and families where child abuse and neglect
is usual. These kinds of families will probably occur in any society
regardless of corporal punishment bans.
Statistics show that individuals with a limited education and those on
low incomes or unemployed and immigrants are   over-represented among
the perpetrators perhaps because they tend to have positive attitudes
toward the practise of corporal punishment.

Hope this helps

Dave Rainham,  MD (Co-Founder, Action For Children)