The distinction between discipline, punishment, indecent treatment and the violation of a child’s dignity is extremely important, particularly when dealing with children under 16.
An adult may believe they are disciplining a child, but their behaviour can cross a boundary into humiliation, degradation, sexual impropriety or abuse.
1. Understanding the boundaries
| Behaviour | What it means |
|---|---|
| Appropriate discipline | Setting reasonable boundaries and consequences to teach responsibility. |
| Excessive punishment | Punishment that is disproportionate, frightening, degrading or physically harmful. |
| Humiliation | Deliberately embarrassing, shaming or belittling a child. |
| Indecent behaviour | Conduct that is sexually inappropriate, exposes a child to sexual material or violates their sexual privacy. |
| Degrading treatment | Behaviour that attacks a child’s dignity, self-worth or sense of personal safety. |
| Abuse | Behaviour that causes or risks physical, emotional or sexual harm, or involves exploitation or coercion. |
2. Where does punishment cross the line?
Examples include:
Physical punishment
- Hitting, slapping or striking a child.
- Using physical force to intimidate.
- Causing pain as a means of discipline.
Humiliating punishment
- Making a child remove clothing as punishment.
- Exposing a child in front of others.
- Making degrading comments about their body.
- Publicly shaming or ridiculing them.
Sexually inappropriate punishment
- Touching intimate areas under the pretence of discipline.
- Making a child expose their private parts.
- Using sexualised language to punish or intimidate.
- Making a child participate in degrading or sexually suggestive acts.
Emotional punishment
- Threatening, frightening or intimidating a child.
- Withholding affection to control behaviour.
- Repeatedly telling a child they are worthless, disgusting or unwanted.
3. The importance of dignity
Every child, regardless of age, has a right to:
- Personal privacy.
- Bodily autonomy.
- Respect and dignity.
- Protection from humiliation.
- Protection from sexual exploitation.
- Emotional and physical safety.
- Discipline that is appropriate and proportionate.
4. Five questions to consider
When assessing an adult’s behaviour towards a child, consider:
- Was the punishment intended to teach or to humiliate?
- Was the child’s dignity respected?
- Was there unnecessary physical contact or exposure?
- Was the behaviour disproportionate to what the child had done?
- Could the experience have caused fear, shame, distress or lasting psychological harm?
An important distinction: A parent’s authority to discipline a child does not give them unlimited authority over that child’s body, privacy or dignity.
5. A useful principle for your safeguarding material
Discipline should educate, not degrade. Punishment should never become an excuse for humiliation, sexual impropriety, intimidation or the violation of a child’s dignity.
One important question: Are you examining the boundary between acceptable parental discipline and indecent or degrading treatment of a child under 16, particularly in a legal or child-protection context?
