CSA Conference - 2010

Sparing the Rod and nurturing the child : Caribbean Culture and violence against children

Presenter : Vidyaratha Kissoon - Guyana

“stupes, ..”

“Corporal punishment” as one of the everyday experiences of violence for Caribbean children?

Reflecting on the work of Help & Shelter, Red Thread

Can, when, how will we change?

“..the judicious use of corporal punishment , not abuse..”

Corporal punishment refers to the intentional application of physical pain as a method of changing behavior. It includes a wide variety of methods such as hitting, slapping, spanking, whipping, flogging, ‘blowsing’, punching, kicking, pinching, shaking, choking, use of various objects (belts, sticks, whips, rulers, pins, or others), painful body postures, or prevention of urine or stool elimination. These acts are usually perpetrated by adults or older children against younger children.

Help & Shelter Draft Child Protection Policy

“y'all want we get like america...”

Red Thread , Help & Shelter work in pilot schools

http://www.hands.org.gy/cpreport UNICEF Teachers, parents, students

Help & Shelter Pickney Project

http://www.hands.org.gy/pickney Everychild Guyana /Childlink Faith based leaders, parents, teachers, nurses,

police

“.. a last resort in our schools..” Parents, teachers and students are

overwhelmingly in favour of retaining CP CP is not considered to be violence against

children Urban areas are more flexible with respect to

removing CP from schools There is strong belief among parents and

students that younger teachers are more likely to resort to CP and to administer CP more often than older teachers

“..culturally appropriate..” There is also strong belief among parents, teachers and students that female

teachers are more likely to resort to CP and to administer CP more often than male teachers

There is incongruence between a belief that CP is an acceptable form of discipline and the negative feelings of sadness and guilt felt by parents and teachers when administering CP and by children when they are receiving CP.

There is also incongruence between a belief that CP is an acceptable form of discipline and responses from teachers that indicate that they do not believe CP is the most effective form of discipline, or that it improves lasting behaviour change and pupil performance. Teachers also indicate that it causes physical and emotional harm.

Teachers do not follow the Ministry’s disciplinary guidelines. They routinely administer CP in the classroom.

“Towards a Culture of Peace and Civility”

Trinidad & Tobago

Minister Peraud-Bissessar, Prof Deosarran, Minister Manning, Merle Hodge, ?

Barbados

Chief Education Officer, 2009 report Guyana

1947, 2007 attempts Universal Periodic Review recommendations Not explicit in violence prevention projects

“.. every time I get licks, I merit it..”

The issue of power – getting satisfaction Licks bunnin and coolin' What about those who don't want licks? How valid is this view? “She used Caesar..I can still see him

crying, washing the blood off, his shirt wet with his tears and I wanting to cry..”

“..It was good. I thought I could not learn more about parenting. I realize what should be done. I got a better view of children’s life. Most people think their way

is the way. Also gave insight on treatment of children..”

Self Esteem

The four-petal seven-shaper model of self

Early childhood development

Why children get licks and the real reason why children get licks

Alternative methods of discipline

Dos and Don’ts of parenting

Reinforcing the good things about Caribbean family life

“..workshop opened new ideas and methods on how I will do things..s

• “Very informative and I learnt a lot. Parenting is not just giving birth.”

• “I thought the only necessity was preaching until I come here. When I have my children I will know what to do”

• “Good to hear each other’s situation; we opened, we shared, we felt comfortable. I did not know it all; how to deal with my children. We will take this back to our churches. We can be bold enough to speak to parents. Thank God I am here.”

• “The timing was perfect to be informed us all of a new methodology of parenting. I will no longer drive fear in my children. Over these days I have stopped ‘shutting my daughter up’; I am giving her a chance to speak.”

“Sparing the rod..” Can we change?

– Research hypotheses

– Compare to Gender Based Violence and Domestic Violence work

Education/Awareness Law Religion Culture Individual education

“Nurturing the child..” When will we change?

Peace building work

No imperial mandates

How will we change?

Policy of non-violent discipline in schools

Changing our laws

Promoting parenting education

with pre-parents With parents With children

Thank you!

CSA 2010 Nalini Mohabir Justin Springer KP