Two out of three Swiss teens report corporal punishment
In Switzerland, there is no outright ban on corporal punishment against children.
Keystone
A survey of 17- and 18-year-olds in Switzerland found that two-thirds have experienced parental violence at some point in their youth. The economic and geographic background of families plays a role.
Punishments including slaps to the face and hits were experienced by some 41% of respondents, the survey found; harder violence such as punching, hitting with an object, or serious beatings were reported by 22%.
The figures were reported by the SonntagsBlick newspaper, which had access to a report by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), which was in turn based on an anonymous survey of 8,317 students across ten Swiss cantons last year.
Various factors explained the extent of the violence among different groups, the report found.
For example, youths from families that were dependent on unemployment or other welfare benefits were twice as likely to report serious violence as those in wealthier households.
Families of immigrants were also more likely to use violence: more than three times as likely as non-immigrant Swiss children.
Such practices were most marked in families from African countries, Brazil, the Arab world, and Sri Lanka. At the other end of the scale, children from Austrian, German, and Swiss backgrounds reported less violence.
Respondents from urban areas were also more likely to have reported more physical punishment.
Study author Dirk Baier, interviewed by the SonntagsBlick paper, said that the results were significant in that such violence can seriously impact the future course of a child’s life: “affected adolescents are five times more dissatisfied with their own lives and become significantly more depressed”, he said.
The right of parents to use corporal punishment in disciplining their children was removed from Swiss law in 1978. But there is no outright ban in Switzerland, as there is in Germany.
In Germany, where the ban came into force in 2000, a lower number of children report receiving violent punishments – 40%.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Has your continent reached its peak or is there still potential for economic growth?
Some regions of the world are on an upward trajectory with the promise of a steadily improving future. Where do you live? And in which direction is your region or continent developing?
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
US tariffs: Pharma firms not planning job cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
The additional investments in the US will not lead to a reduction in jobs in Switzerland. This is according to pharmaceutical giant Roche, which expects the number of employees to remain stable in the current year. The position of Novartis is similar.
Switzerland is closely monitoring three livestock diseases
This content was published on
The spread of Lumpy skin disease, Bluetongue and African swine fever are keeping Swiss veterinary authorities on the alert.
Swiss writer wins European Prize for Political Culture
This content was published on
On Saturday, the Hans Ringier Foundation awarded the 91-year-old Zurich writer Adolf Muschg the European Prize for Political Culture.
Swiss government working with firms to overcome high US tariffs
This content was published on
The Swiss delegation that travelled to Washington has returned from talks on tariffs in the United States. The negotiations are now being conducted under the aegis of the government and the federal administration, according to Seco.
WTO improves its world trade forecast thanks to Trump’s tariffs
This content was published on
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) expects world trade to grow by 0.9% this year, better than expected in April. US imports surged in the first quarter as a result of Donald Trump's tariff announcements.
Swiss gold exports might not face US tariffs after all
This content was published on
Gold exports to the United States may not be taxed after all. The White House plans to "issue an executive order in the near future to clarify misinformation regarding the taxation of gold bullion," among other things.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Child abuse cases jump by 10% in 2017
This content was published on
The number of victims in Switzerland rose by 10% last year, according to the latest statistics collected by the Swiss Society of Pediatrics (SSP).
This content was published on
Nearly three out of four children worldwide experience some form of violence, a major international report has concluded.
Up to 50,000 child abuse cases registered every year
This content was published on
Between 30,000 and 50’000 children who suffer abuse are registered by the child protection authorities in Switzerland every year.
Law change: more people obliged to report child abuse
This content was published on
All professionals with regular contact with children will be obliged to report their suspicions of child abuse from January 1, 2019.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.