To Your Friends on Spanking

Dear friends. You have talked to your friends about the injustice of war, I am sure. And you've talked about gay marriage. And you have talked about austerity measures and cuts. Have you spoken to your friends about the effects of spanking on children? Many of your friends share the same views with you on politics, and none of us are policy makers, but many of us will have children or care for children. Are they aware that 93% of studies on spanking agree that it is harmful to children, which has been referred to as"an almost unheard of consensus" in child-rearing studies? Are they aware that according to the last 20-30 years of science children who are physically punished even mildly:
- Tend to have a lower IQ and are less able to reason effectively.
- Have a poorer relationship with their parents than those who are reared non-aggressively.
- Are more likely to resort to violence as a means of solving problems and even become chronically defiant.
- Are more likely to smoke and twice as likely develop alcohol/drug addictions.
- Are more likely to develop anxiety disorders and depression and show symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- Are more likely to display anti-social behaviour and abuse their spouse or children later in life?

So they know that spanking ups the risk of major depression by 41%, drug abust by 59% and mania by 93% amongst other effects.

We can really make the world a better place by bringing up these questions in our social circles with references to the scientific evidence and also speaking about the alternatives to spanking which have been proven to be of psychological benefit to children and sociological benefit to society. Thanks, and please consider this before you next go out for a pint with your pals.