Citation

Magadze TO, Shayamano M, Lupuwana VP. Acta Criminol. 2020; 33(1): 44-58.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Criminological Society of South Africa)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

This study investigated the perceptions of guardians regarding the government's decision to outlaw corporal punishment in Zimbabwe. The level of effectiveness of corporal punishment as a tool to discipline children is a rather controversial and widely contested topic. These controversies have given rise to new trends, which focus on ending the use of corporal punishment against children as it is often considered a form of violence and/or abuse. Local and international conventions on the rights of the child stipulate that children should be protected from violence, cruelty and abuse, and as a signatory to these conventions, Zimbabwe, as a signatory to these conventions, is obligated to enact laws that uphold the rights of children. In order to achieve this, the government of Zimbabwe is committed to outlawing the practice of corporal punishment of children, in all its forms and in any context. The Social Construction Theory was used to explain and understand how guardians view the government's decision to outlaw corporal punishment. A qualitative research method was utilised with the use of two focus group discussions to collect data. The findings reveal that most guardians view the commitment to outlaw corporal in a negative light, with only a few guardians embracing the decision. The guardians of children in the study perceive the government's commitment to outlaw corporal punishment of children in Zimbabwe as contradicting their religious and cultural beliefs, as an invasion of family privacy, as imposing without alternatives, and as abuse of children. The guardians also fear for the future of their children. The article recommends continued adequate consultation with relevant stakeholders responsible for the upbringing of children to avoid resistance to the law.

Language: en