France became the 52nd country where corporal punishment of children is prohibited by law

The new law in France prohibits the flogging of children, which makes it the 52nd country in which such "methods of upbringing" are inadmissible.

The essence of the new bill

A law known as the "bill on equality and citizenship" was adopted in France on December 22 last year, according to Marta Santos Pais, the special representative of the Secretary-General for Violence against Children. The new law prohibits cruel or degrading treatment, including corporal punishment by parents.

The ban falls under the civil law of the country, which means that people who violate it will not be prosecuted.

"This law is a very strong symbolic act that should force parents to understand how any kind of violence can be harmful to the child," said Dr. Gilles Lazimi, who conducted an anti-violent campaign for the Fund for the Protection of Children in France. - First of all, it eliminates the notion of degree: there is no small or big violence. There is violence, and that's the point. "

The impact of corporal punishment on children

More and more research shows that flogging creates certain risks for children. The 2016 analysis, which took into account research over the past 50 years, showed that children who are physically punished are more likely to challenge their parents, leading to problems with mental health, antisocial behavior, and aggression.

In most of Europe, there is currently a ban on spanking, with the exception of the United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.