A CALL FOR CHANGE IN HOW CHILDREN ARE...

The unresolved trauma may later result in depression or post-traumatic stress.

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She warns that children exposed to aggressive environments may adopt those behaviors as adults, creating a harmful cycle. “Breaking this cycle is essential to ensure a more compassionate society,” she stresses.

Corporal punishment isn't just a moment; it's a pattern that can pass from one generation to the next. Research such as this study titled “Parental Adverse Childhood Experiences and Perpetration of Child Physical Punishment in Wales” from 2022 shows that parents who were punished physically as children are more likely to use the same methods on their own kids. High levels of parenting stress make this cycle even harder to break.

But attitudes matter too. Parents who believe in non-violent discipline are less likely to repeat what they experienced. Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF Sri Lanka, Dr. Hemamal Jayawardena explains that children mirror adult behavior. “If we use violence to discipline, we're teaching them that violence is okay,” he says. He warns that fear-based discipline doesn’t build respect, just fear and emotional damage.