A Preliminary Investigation of the Prevalence of Corporal Punishment of Children and Selected Co-occurring Behaviours in Households on New Providence, The Bahamas

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the link between violence in homes, focusing on corporal punishment of children as a means of discipline, and other behaviours (including sexual abuse, illegal drug use, domestic violence, hitting of pets) which may be a cause for concern. This paper reports the results of a survey of 933 people and 12 case studies. Violence, physical or domestic, occurred in 62% of survey participants' homes. The survey indicates that in respondents' homes many children were physically hurt as a means of discipline. Children were spanked in 77% of homes with children, pets were hit in 25% of homes with pets, and domestic violence was found in 23% of homes. These findings suggest that those who use violence in their homes may not understand the wider and longer-term consequences of their actions for both victims and society. Case study participants seem to view only severe physical violence as abuse. They also appear reluctant to report abuse to the authorities which can hamper the efforts to curb violence in homes. The following anecdote exemplifies this reaction: A lady was looking at a car, she had a small girl with her (3 or 4 years old), "come here" she said, the little girl was gazing at her reflection in the shinny [sic] car wheels, "come here" said the woman again, the child was in her own world looking in marvel at the shiny silver wheels, the big lady took two steps over to the child, and wham, "come here" she hollered after hitting the kid…the child looked up, and did not cry, she said nothing and biting her lip she followed the lady…Nobody looked twice; nobody cared… (Aranha, 2009, para. 10).

A Cross-cultural Comparison of Interpersonal Violence in the Lives of College Students from Two Colleges from The Bahamas and the United States of America

“…The ubiquitous nature of violence in Bahamian homes, combined with the smaller sample size may have prevented some other spanking-related associations noted in the American group from being detected in the Bahamian sample. Carroll et al (2011) and Brennen et al (2010) have demonstrated that corporal punishment is common in Bahamian households, a finding repeated here. Indeed, as reported by D'Avanzo (2008) this is a cultural norm in West Indian communities.…”

“…So for example there may be greater denial, or appreciation of these actions in the Bahamian group than in the American group. Brennen et al (2010) showed that residents of The Bahamas tend to consider what might be viewed as grievous bodily harm as physical abuse. Henning, Jones and Holdford (2005) noted differences in denial concerning domestic violence between males and females, so we cannot rule out the possibility of socially desirable responding, despite the confidential manner in which the data were collected.…”

“…In Jamaica, poor parenting practices have been implicated as an important factor contributing to the level of violence in that country (Smith & Mosby, 2003). By extension, the use of violence by parents to discipline children, common in The Bahamas (Brennen et al, 2010), threatens the wellbeing of the entire community, both in the short and long term as abused children may struggle to become productive members of society in adulthood. Further, abused children can have difficulty in their interactions with others (Lazenbatt, 2010), which can lead to further violence.…”

Determinants of the Level of Care Provided for Various Types and Sizes of Dogs in New Providence, The Bahamas

“…This is another area of concern regarding dog welfare. Such attitudes may reflect the use of violence to discipline Bahamian children (Brennen, Carroll, Fielding, Miller, Adderley, & Thompson, 2010), and an old-fashioned attitude toward dog training (Lindsay, 2001). Moreover, pit bulls were most likely to be teased in training.…”

Restoring paradise in the Caribbean: combatting violence with numbers

“…Similarly, a study conducted by researchers at the College of The Bahamas found that violence against children was regarded as abuse only when it resulted in severe physical harm to the victim (Brennen et al 2010). The 2011 Bahamas Secondary School Drug…”