Beating the Devil Out of Them

by Murray A. Straus

Based on his studies of over 9,000 families, Murray A. Straus, the foremost researcher on family violence in the world, discusses the extent to which parents in the United States use corporal punishment (such as spanking and slapping) and its effects on their chil-dren. The question of whether corporal punishment is an effective method of discipline is hotly debated. Straus contends that this believed-to-be-"minor" form of physical violence is precursor to much violence that plagues our world. Children who are spanked quickly learn that love and violence can go hand in hand. Since spanking is generally done by loving, caring parents―for the child's own good―a child can learn that hitting is "morally right." Straus describes what he has learned through two decades of children who are spanked are from two to six times more likely to be physically aggressive, to become juvenile delinquents, and later, as adults, to use physical violence against their spouses, to have sadomasochistic tendencies, and to suffer from depression. Straus alerts parents to these risks, and argues that spanking adversely affects not only the children who are subjected to it but society as a whole. This groundbreaking book, now available in paperback with a substantive new introduction and new concluding chapter, is essential reading for parents as well as teachers, lawyers, and judges. Professionals in fields such as social work, child protection, delin-quency and criminology, psychology, and politics will find it of critical importance.

354 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1994

Reviews

[Adam Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic book on the psychological damage of physical discipline to children. Unlike Greven's earlier work, which was largely a work of history and the summary of other researchers, Straus's book (which is now about 20 years old) was conducted with original research. He shows conclusively that physical discipline makes kids more delinquint, damages parent-child trust, and vastly increases the likelihood of depression, anxiety, stress or nervous disorders, as well as increases the likelihood that children will engage in violence against their own partners, spouses, and children later in life. Whatever theoretical benefit believed to be derived from physical discipline are almost entirely undermined by the negative consequences.

[A]

In a college Sociology class, we were to write a book report and present it to the class. We each got assigned a different book. I was assigned this one. My professor warned me that when I presented the whole class would get very defensive and tell me things like, “I was beat and I turned out ok.” She was right. I was pretty much attacked by the whole class.

I was beat, too, and this book opened my eyes. I too had the initial “I was beat, but I turned out ok” defensive reaction. But I couldn’t deny the research from the book and as I reflected, I realized I turned out ok not because of but in spite of the beating. I could have maybe turned out a lot better had I not been.

Anyway, I now have a kid and definitely don’t spank her and fully understand the damage doing so could cause. I thank the author of this book for opening my eyes some 20 years ago. It truly put me on a different path and opened my eyes to the idea that just because it’s always been that way, doesn’t mean it should continue to be so.