Interviews with 5-6 year olds

As part of a study of the impact of publicly funded early childhood education centres in Bogotá, the kinds of punishments used on children were examined. Interviews were carried out with 97 fathers and mothers and 97 children aged 5-6 years, in which 63% of parents reported seldom using physical punishment and 1% reported using it a lot. Of those who said they smacked their children, 47% said they used their hand, 44% a belt, 10% a slipper or shoe, and 2% a paddle or broom. In the four months prior to the interviews, the most recent punishment had been smacking for 32% and scolding for 11%. Interviews with the children revealed higher incidences of corporal punishment, including 83% reporting punishment by smacking. Various ways of being hit were reported by the children, including with a belt (70%), the hand (31%), a slipper (27%), a whip (5%), a paddle (5%), a shoe (5%), and a switch (3%). Reasons given for the punishment included disobedience (27%), not doing homework or poor performance at school (29%) and talking back or being rude (12%).

(Pineda, N. et al., 2005, Evaluación de Algunas Modalidades de Atención a la Primera Infancia en el ICBF y el DABS, Bogotá, Cinde, Save the Children UK, UNICEF, Colombian Institute for Family Welfare and Bogotá Social Welfare Department, reported in International Save the Children Alliance, 2005, Ending Physical and Humiliating Punishment of Children - Making it Happen: Global Submission to the UN Study on Violence against Children, Save the Children Sweden)
International Save the Children report available at: http://www.rb.se/eng/Programme/Exploitationandabuse/Corporalpunishment/1415+Publications.htm

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