Spanking Of Children
Banned in Costa Rica
Spanking kids in Costa
Rica is a no-no, as
legislators voted this
week to ban parents from
spanking their children.
The bill passed second
reading, on Wednedsday
and outlaws all forms of
physical or emotional
punishment or
mistreatment of
children. The proposal
becomes law once it is
signed by Costa Rican
president, Oscar Arias.
The bill was proposed by
the Defensora de los
Habitantes
(ombudswoman), Lisbet
Quesada back in 2005.
Legislator Luis Antonion
Barrantes, who served on
the committee that
approved the bill, said
in a statement that the
bill lack enforcement
mechanism, that the law
is symbolic as there no
clear sanctions.
Barrantes added that the
law, however, does send
a message that children
are not to be
mistreated.
Spanking — like corporal
punishment in general —
is a hotly debated
social issue in many
countries. Questions
exist as to whether
children should be
spanked, whether it is
an effective method of
discipline (and if so
how it is best don), and
whether or at what point
it constitutes child
abuse. Most of these
points apply more
generally to most or all
forms of physical
punishment.
Those who accept
spanking often frame the
issue as a matter of
effective discipline,
stating that young
children respond most
effectively to
sensations, like pain.
Another argument used by
proponents of spanking
is that proper and
effective spankings
cause only temporary
pain and no damage.
Anti-spanking advocates
argue chiefly that
spanking is abusive,
that it is ineffective,
and that it teaches
children that physical
violence is an
acceptable way to deal
with other people. They
point to the fact that
scientific research has
failed to back up any of
the claims in favor of
spanking while research
has consistently shown
that the number one
predictor of violent
behavior is whether
someone comes from a
home where violence is
practiced, including a
home where children are
subjected to physical
punishment.
Whatever the argument,
the final decision is
children spanking is
allowed or not in Costa
Rica will be solely on
the hand of president
Arias. |
