By Tim Lambert
Early Corporal Punishment
Corporal punishment is derived from a Latin word meaning body. It meant physical punishment and in the past, it was common. In the past corporal punishment was by no means limited to children. It was used on adults as well.
Whipping has been a common punishment since ancient times. In England from the Middle Ages, whipping was a common punishment for minor crimes. In the 18th century, whipping was a common punishment in the British army and navy. However, it was abolished in the army and navy in 1881.
Whipping women was made illegal in 1820. In 1862 the courts were allowed to sentence men to either whipping or birching. Birching was another form of corporal punishment. This punishment meant beating a man across the bare backside with a bundle of birch rods. In the early 20th century whipping was gradually replaced by birching or imprisonment. In Britain, birching or whipping was banned for civilian men in 1948.
But it was still used in prisons. Birching was last used in prisons in 1962. Whipping and birching were abolished in British prisons in 1967.
In the USA whipping was last used as a punishment in Delaware in 1952 when a man was sentenced to 20 lashes. Delaware was the last state to abolish whipping as a punishment in 1972.
Meanwhile for thousands of years until the late 20th century, teachers beat children. In The Ancient World, the teachers were strict and often beat the pupils. In the Middle Ages discipline was also severe. Boys were beaten with rods or birch twigs. Punishments in Tudor schools were still harsh. Boys were hit with a bundle of birch rods on their bare backside.
Furthermore in Britain in the 19th century, children were hit at work. In the early 19th century in textile mills, lazy children were hit with leather straps. Furthermore, lazy children sometimes had their heads ducked in water.
Modern Corporal Punishment
Corporal Punishment in British Schools
In Britain in the 19th century hitting boys and girls with a bamboo cane became popular. In the 20th century, the cane was used in primary and secondary schools.
Meanwhile, the ruler was a punishment commonly used in primary schools in the 20th century. The teacher hit the child on the hand with a wooden ruler. The slipper was often used in secondary schools. The slipper is a euphemism. Normally it was a trainer or a plimsoll. Teachers (usually PE teachers) used a trainer to hit children on the backside.
The tawse was a punishment used in Scottish schools. It was a leather strap with tails. It was used in Scotland to hit a child’s hand. Meanwhile, in the 20th century, the leather strap was also used in some English schools. Children were either hit across the hands or the backside.
Britain was behind most of Europe. In Britain, the Plowden Report was published in 1967. (It was named after its chair, Lady Plowden). It recommended the abolition of corporal punishment in primary schools.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the cane was abolished in most primary schools. As society’s attitudes changed the abolition of corporal punishment in secondary schools became inevitable. In 1982, in a case brought by two Scottish mothers, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that beating children against their parent’s wishes was a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights. Finally, corporal punishment was banned in state-funded schools in 1987.
But it persisted longer in private schools. Corporal punishment was banned in private schools in England in 1999. In Scotland, it was banned in 2000, and in Northern Ireland in 2003.
Four independent Christian schools appealed against the law against corporal punishment arguing that it breached their right to freedom of religion. But the House of Lords rejected their appeal in February 2005. That was the final nail in the coffin of corporal punishment in British schools.
Corporal Punishment in Schools in the USA
The first state of the USA to ban corporal punishment in schools was New Jersey in 1867. But it was more than a hundred years before any other state did.
In the USA corporal punishment is usually carried out with a paddle (a wooden implement, which sometimes has holes in it. The paddle is used to hit a child on the backside).
In 1972 Massachusetts banned corporal punishment in public schools. Many other states followed. The latest ones to do so were Idaho and Colorado in 2023. However corporal punishment is still legal in public schools in some states.
In 1989 Iowa banned corporal punishment in all schools, including private ones. In 2023 the state of New York followed. Illinois banned it in all schools in 2024. Maryland banned it in all schools in 1993. However, it remains legal in private schools in most US states.
Corporal Punishment in Schools in Other Countries
The first country to abolish corporal punishment in schools was Poland in 1783. Luxembourg followed in 1845. Other countries abolished it in the 20th century.
Following a revolution in 1917 Russia banned corporal punishment in schools. The Netherlands abolished it in 1920. Italy banned it in 1928. Norway did so in 1936. Sweden ended corporal punishment in all schools in 1958. It was abolished in all schools in Denmark in 1967 and banned in Austria in 1975. In Ireland, corporal punishment in schools was ended in 1982. Spain banned it in 1985.
In Canada, the first province to ban corporal punishment in schools was British Columbia in 1973. Other provinces followed and finally, the Canadian Supreme Court banned it in 2004.
Corporal punishment was banned in schools in New Zealand in 1990.
In Australia, New South Wales led the way. Corporal punishment was banned in government schools in 1990 and in non-government schools in 1995. All the other states followed except Queensland where it remains legal in non-government schools.
In 2023 Sierra Leone also banned corporal punishment in schools.
Corporal punishment in schools has been banned completely in 132 countries.
Corporal Punishment by Parents
Throughout history, until recently most parents hit their children. In the 20th century, they sometimes used implements, like belts, slippers, hairbrushes, and wooden spoons.
However, in the late 20th century and early 21st century, public opinion turned against corporal punishment, and in many countries, it has been banned. The first country to ban parents from hitting children was Sweden in 1979. Finland followed in 1983. So did Norway in 1987 and Austria in 1989. Many other countries followed.
New Zealand was the first English-speaking country to ban corporal punishment by parents, in 2007. In 2019 parents in Jersey were banned from hitting children. Scotland banned smacking children in 2020. Corporal punishment became illegal in Wales in March 2022. However, it is still legal in England.
In 2024 Laos and Tajikstan became the latest countries to ban all corporal punishment. Today, public opinion is turning against corporal punishment. So far 67 nations have banned corporal punishment completely and others are sure to follow.
A Timeline of Corporal Punishment
1783 Poland becomes the first country to ban corporal punishment in schools
1820 In Britain whipping women is banned
1845 Luxembourg bans corporal punishment in schools
1862 In Britain courts can sentence men to either whipping or birching. (A man was hit on his bare backside with a bundle of birch rods).
1867 New Jersey is the first US state to ban corporal punishment in schools
1881 Flogging is abolished in the British army and navy
1917 Russia bans corporal punishment in schools
1920 The Netherlands bans corporal punishment in schools
1928 Italy bans corporal punishment in schools
1936 Norway bans corporal punishment in schools
1948 In Britain whipping and birching are banned for civilian men (but not for men in prisons). Romania bans corporal punishment in schools.
1952 In the USA whipping is last used as a punishment, in Delaware when a man is sentenced to 20 lashes.
1958 Sweden ends corporal punishment in schools
1962 Birching is last used in a British prison
1967 Denmark ends corporal punishment in schools. In Britain, the Plowden Report recommends ending corporal punishment in primary schools (but not secondary schools). Whipping and birching are made illegal in British prisons.
1972 Massachusetts bans corporal punishment in public schools. Delaware is the last US state to abolish whipping as a punishment for criminals. In Britain, on 17 May 10,000 schoolchildren go on strike against corporal punishment.
1973 British Columbia is the first Canadian province to ban corporal punishment in schools. The state of Hawaii bans corporal punishment in public schools.
1975 Austria ends corporal punishment in schools. The state of Maine bans corporal punishment in public schools.
1977 The state of Rhode Island bans corporal punishment in public schools. So does the District of Columbia.
1979 Sweden bans all corporal punishment, including by parents
1982 Ireland ends corporal punishment in schools. In a case brought by two Scottish mothers, the European Court of Human Rights rules that beating children against their parent’s wishes is a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.
1983 The state of New Hampshire bans corporal punishment in public schools. Finland bans all corporal punishment, including by parents.
1985 Vermont and New York ban corporal punishment in public schools. Spain bans corporal punishment in schools.
1986 China bans corporal punishment in schools. The state of California bans corporal punishment in public schools.
1987 In Britain corporal punishment is banned in state schools (but not private ones). The Philippines bans corporal punishment in both state and private schools. Norway bans all corporal punishment, including by parents.
1988 The states of Nebraska and Wisconsin ban corporal punishment in public schools
1989 The states of Alaska, Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, and Virginia ban corporal punishment in public schools. The state of Iowa bans corporal punishment in both public and private schools. Austria bans all corporal punishment, including in the home.
1990 New Zealand bans corporal punishment in schools. Western Australia is the first Australian state to ban corporal punishment in government schools (but it was not banned in non-government schools until 1995). The state of South Dakota bans corporal punishment in public schools.
1991 The state of Montana bans corporal punishment in public schools
1992 The state of Utah bans corporal punishment in public schools
1993 The states of Illinois, Utah, Washington, and Maryland ban corporal punishment in public schools
1994 The state of West Virginia bans corporal punishment in public schools. Cyprus bans all corporal punishment, including in the home.
1997 Denmark bans all corporal punishment including in the home
1998 The United Arab Emirates bans corporal punishment in schools. Latvia and Austria ban all corporal punishment.
1999 In England corporal punishment in private schools becomes illegal. Croatia bans all corporal punishment, including by parents.
2000 In Scotland corporal punishment in private schools becomes illegal. Germany and Bulgaria ban all corporal punishment, including in the home.
The Case Against spanking – American Psychological Association
A WHO factsheet about corporal punishment and the harm it causes
Last Revised 2024