On 7 November 2020, Scotland effectively prohibited corporal punishment against children in all its forms.
“By prohibiting corporal punishment, Scotland has taken a major step towards ending violence against children,” said Dr Howard Taylor, the Executive Director of End Violence. “We congratulate Scotland on their commitment to children’s rights and their efforts to ensure that all children are protected under Scottish law.”
By prohibiting corporal punishment, Scotland has taken a major step towards ending violence against children.
The prohibition is the result of an act adopted by Parliament last year: The Children (Equal Protection from Assault) Act of October 2019. Today, this act has officially come into force, abolishing previous exceptions of physical violence against children. Scotland was the first nation in the United Kingdom to announce a prohibition of corporal punishment, with Wales following suit in January 2020.
Even so, England and Northern Ireland still allow corporal punishment in the home and within day cares, alternative care settings, and penal institutions – and 70-80 per cent of parents in the United Kingdom are estimated to use corporal punishment against their children.
Such a statistic, though seemingly staggering, reflects the reality of corporal punishment across the world: violent discipline is the most common form of violence children face. Unfortunately, this type of violence does not just cause immediate pain and humiliation – it has also been shown to impact children’s long-term health and well-being.
Child rights activists are continuing to fight for the end of corporal punishment throughout the United Kingdom and hope to see England and Northern Ireland join the other 60 states that prohibit corporal punishment across the world.
Learn more about Scotland’s prohibition of corporal punishment.
The Global Initiative & End Violence
In September 2020, the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (GI), an active member of the End Violence CSO Forum, closed as a civil society organization. End Violence has adopted key elements of the GI and taken over the organisation's website, allowing for the continuation of their essential advocacy work to ensure all children are protected from violent discipline.
Learn more about our collaboration.
