Spanking And Deviant Behavior
There is a study out right now that has a lot of parents talking. According to the study Spanking Raises Chances of Risky, Deviant Sexual Behavior.
Of course one has to wonder what “risky sexual behaviors, or even sexual deviancy” means. There are many people who question this kind of over-hyped claim. A quote from the article tells us
A meta-analysis of spanking studies conducted by Gershoff found 93 percent agreement among studies that spanking can lead to such problems as delinquent and anti-social behavior in childhood along with aggression, criminal and anti-social behavior and spousal or child abuse as an adult.
Yet aggression and anti-social behavior do not add up to risky sexual behavior. For many parents who do engage in sexual activities outside the normal range this study does not seem to add up. The examples later listed such as coercing a partner to have sex and sex without a condom are both risky, and in the case of coercion illegal, sexual practices. Yet including activities such as enjoying spanking during sex , presumably between two consenting adults, causes some parents to question the reliability of this study.
The problem is that in many cases what one calls deviant another does not. Of course there are many sexual activities that i think we all can agree are deviant, incest and pedophilia for examples. But there are also some that sit on a gray line. Spanking during sex between two consenting adults being one of those cases. There some who feel that homosexuality is deviant, yet I strongly doubt that it was childhood spankings that makes one so.
It would seem to me that a better title would be that “Spanking Leads To Aggressive Behavior”, something that is noted in the article. Focusing on the sexual aspects draws away from the important part of the study. Which is that spanking children is harmful.
- Does Spanking Equal Discipline?
- The Center For Effective Discipline
- Project NoSpank
- Gentle Christian Mothers
- 10 Reasons Not To Hit Your Child
spanking, children, discipline, gentle discipline
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