corporal punishment

Physical punishment of wrongdoers – for example, by whipping. It is still used as a punishment for criminals in many countries, especially under Islamic law. Corporal punishment of children by parents is illegal in some countries, including Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway.

Sweden was the first country to introduce a national ban in 1979. By 1996, there had been only one prosecution since the law was passed – of a father who was fined £10 for spanking his 11-year-old son. In Finland, since 1984, the law has stated that a child ‘shall not be subdued, corporally punished or otherwise humiliated’. A Swedish-style ban was introduced in Norway in 1987 and a limited prohibition was passed in Denmark 1986, where the courts allow slapping as long as no bruises result. Cyprus and Austria have comprehensive bans.