Domestic violence remains part of daily life for many children
A staged photo of a child being beaten
Keystone
One in 20 children in Switzerland is regularly beaten at home. As many as one in four regularly experiences psychological violence, according to a study by the University of Fribourg on behalf of Child Protection Switzerland.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
The study on how parents in Switzerland punish their children was conducted for the third time in 2019. The results show a slight decrease in both physical and psychological violence compared with the 2017 survey, Child Protection Switzerland said on TuesdayExternal link.
However, despite the overall lower values, a stable subgroup of parents remains for whom physical violence is a part of raising their children.
Younger children are still more often on the receiving end of corporal punishment than older children; 4.4% of parents admitted to using physical force regularly (down from 5.79% in 2017). In addition 23.2% of parents reported regular behaviour towards their children that included aspects of psychological violence (down from 25.15%).
Deep marks
The study shows that force is used in every situation when it comes to raising children. Nevertheless, it says there are risk factors that could have a detrimental effect on children. For example, if the financial or emotional stability of the parents becomes unbalanced.
“Regular physical and psychological violence in a child’s upbringing leads to great suffering and leaves deep marks in the health and behaviour of affected children,” said Yvonne Frei, president of Child Protection Switzerland.
“We are therefore committed to ensuring that all children can grow up free of violence and that politicians declare a non-violent upbringing to be the norm.”
More
More
A ‘revolution’ in how we see the rights of children
This content was published on
Thirty years ago, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child presented its take on juvenile justice: a child is the best judge of his or her situation.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Despite criticism, Switzerland continues to incarcerate minors
This content was published on
Each year, around 20 minors are locked up in Swiss prisons. Despite strong criticism, the Swiss parliament refuses to ban the practice.
This content was published on
Even in Geneva, the world humanitarian capital, there is unease, and a certain reluctance, to say too much about the situation in Syria's Al Hol camp.
Two out of three Swiss teens report corporal punishment
This content was published on
A survey of 17- and 18-year-olds in Switzerland found that two-thirds have experienced parental violence at some point in their youth.
This content was published on
Nearly three out of four children worldwide experience some form of violence, a major international report has concluded.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.