For the past several years, many psychiatrists, sociological researchers, and parents have recommended that we seriously consider banning the physical punishment of children. The most important reason, according to Dr. Peter Newell, coordinator of the organization End Punishment of Children (EPOCH)2, is that "all people have the right to protection of their physical integrity, and children are people too."
Those in favor of spanking say it is an effective method of discipline and hasn’t been shown to damage children in the long run. Those against it argue that spanking can cause children to become violent later in life and may increase the chances that they will experience anxiety and depression.
Kids who are spanked are also at a higher risk for committing juvenile crime, assaulting other kids, being depressed as an adult and hitting their dating or marital partner.