World News -- Spanking
 

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...cle%2FShowFull

Survey: Over 10% of Israeli adults abused as children

By ILANA GOLDBERG AND HILARY LEILA KRIEGER

Some 11 percent of all Israeli adults report having suffered from child
abuse at the hands of their parents, according to a survey released
Monday.

The cases of "serious violence" included being punched, whipped, or hit
with an object at least once in their lives. Furthermore, over 40% of
the population was subjected to lesser physical punishment during
childhood, ranging from a slap across the face to a spanking.

Today, the vast majority of Israeli adults, 96%, argue that there is no
justification for severe physical violence in parenting, however, the
use of spankings and slaps on the wrist was supported by around 40% of
the population.

The study was presented as part of a conference on child welfare held
at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba Monday. The numbers were compiled
by the Geocartography Institute.

The survey found that 18-year-olds to 34-year-olds experienced much
more violence than their parents. In addition, women endured less
violence during childhood as compared to men, while children of
immigrants experienced harsher violence than native Israelis.

Around a third of Israelis didn't know that they were required by law
to report instances of abuse. Of those that were aware but chose not to
report cases of violence against children, the top reasons given were a
desire not to get involved and a concern of being hurt.

Another survey out of the Hebrew University compared child abuse
between Jewish and Arab populations. It found that 66% of Arab Israeli
adults reported using corporal punishment in comparison to 33% of
Palestinians and 14% of Jewish Israelis. Younger mothers in all three
groups were found to use more physical punishment, with 72% of Israeli
Arabs doing so alongside 62% of Palestinians and 21.6% of Israeli Jews.
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