When does physical punishment become physical abuse?

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In Australia the level of punishment which can be inflicted on a child is subject to legal regulation.

Physical punishment of children for the purpose of discipline, by parents or caregivers, is permitted by law provided it falls within the bounds of 'reasonable chastisement', is seen as moderate and is administered for the purpose of correcting behaviour.4 'Reasonable chastisement' is a term which is difficult to define precisely. 'Reasonableness' is a flexible concept which involves taking all relevant factors into account. Whether chastisement is reasonable, according to the law will depend on:

• age of the child;
• stature of the child;
• health and intellectual capacity of the child;
• method of and reason for, inflicting the punishment; and
• the harm caused to the child.

Child physical abuse is often the inadvertent result of physical punishment administered by an angry frustrated parent. Sometimes, however, physical discipline is intended to harm the child.

Physical punishment which results, intentionally or unintentionally, in injury or tissue damage to the child or young person is physical abuse and may become the grounds for a charge of assault as well as the grounds for protective intervention by Protective Services.

The fact that our society is now concerned with the problem of child abuse does not mean that parents have suddenly taken to beating their children, but that our tolerance to child maltreatment has declined, and we are now appalled by acts to which our ancestors would have been indifferent. It is part of a growing human awareness that the human rights, dignity and integrity of every man, woman and child should be protected.5

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The Dynamics Of Child Physical Abuse

Child physical abuse is a complex issue. No single factor can adequately explain why parents and caregivers physically abuse their children.

There are several significant variables that may contribute towards a situation in which a child is at risk of physical abuse. They include the individual characteristics of, and the relationships between, the parent, the child and the environment.

The Parent

It is possible to identify some common characteristics in parents or caregivers, which increase the risk that they may physically abuse a child in their care. However the presence of one or even several of these characteristics does not necessarily mean that a parent will abuse a child.

The most consistent research finding is that parents who abuse their children were also abused as children and that their experience of being parented often included a high level of family violence.6

There is strong link between domestic violence and child abuse. In many families where spouse abuse occurs, children are also victims of physical violence. American studies indicate that about one third of adults who abuse their spouse also abuse their children. Australian research suggests that this figure may be higher. Furthermore, children are likely to be at greater risk of physical abuse by mothers who are being physically abused by a spouse than children living in families where violence is absent.7

Some of the other factors associated with adults who physically abuse their children include:

• substance abuse (alcohol or other drugs);
• poor self image and distrust of others;
• low impulse control;
• unrealistic expectations of children and limited or incorrect knowledge of child development;
• a negative view of children; and
• fear of spoiling children.8

However, these features alone are insufficient to explain why some parents physically abuse their children. Factors associated with the child or the environment may also increase the risk of child physical abuse or, alternatively, lessen the effects of parental risk factors.

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The Child

Children are not responsible for their abuse. They cannot be blamed for unacceptable, physically aggressive behaviour towards them by their parent or caregiver. However, it is important to consider some of the behavioural or developmental features of children which may, in some situations, increase the risk of physical abuse.

In some families, all of the children may be subjected to physical abuse, in other families only one child may be physically abused.

Research which seeks to understand why particular children are subjected to physical abuse, whilst their siblings are not, suggests that particular characteristics in children may increase the risk of physical abuse by precipitating stress reactions in parents who are predisposed to physical abuse.9 They include:

1. Children for whom the bonding and attachment process has been disrupted for example: unwanted pregnancy; difficult pregnancy; or birth of a child who is not of the preferred sex or appearance.
2. Children for whom parents experience difficulty caring. For example: premature babies; crying or unresponsive babies; fussy eaters; or children born with a disability who have special needs.
3. Children who experience particular difficulties at developmental stages for example: children with developmental delays; children who bite; children who are resistant to toilet training; or very active toddlers.
4. Children who are seen as different. This difference may be real (for example, the child has a physical disability) or perceived (for example, the child is considered to be less attractive or intelligent than other children).
5. Children who are continually physically abused are likely to internalise negative messages and may feel rejected and worthless. in turn, their behaviour may further frustrate, anger or disappoint their parents, who may then be more inclined to continue to physically abuse the child.

Abuse of adolescents may start in childhood or it may not begin until adolescence. Parenting an adolescent is often more demanding and complex than parenting a younger, more dependent child. The kind of behaviour which is commonly associated with adolescence frustrates or enrages some parents. Authoritarian or overly protective parents who are unable to allow for an adolescent's need for independence and support may respond with punishment which is physically abusive.10

While there is no such thing as a `typical abused child', the presence of one of more of these characteristics and other parental or environmental risk factors may prompt you to question whether a child may be `at risk' of physical abuse.

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Environment

Most families in which abuse occurs live in an environment which is very stressful. Many writers have suggested that physical abuse of children is inextricably linked to our social structures and political and economic policies.

Environmental stressors include:

• poverty;
• financial problems;
• isolation and lack of extended family or social supports;
• unemployment;
• housing problems: and
• health problems.

These problems compound the usual difficulties of caring for children. They place additional pressures and demands on families and may create situation in which abuse is more likely to occur.

Ambivalent community attitudes about the value of children, the importance of the parenting role, the acceptability of violence towards women and physical punishment of children may also contribute towards situations in which children are more likely to be physically abused.

Understanding all of the variables which may, individually or in combination, cause or contribute towards a situation in which a parent or caregiver physically abuses a child enhances our understanding of physical abuse of children and our ability to act to protect children by reporting child physical abuse.11

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Disclaimer Copyright Updated: 12 Jul 2003