Switch (corporal punishment)

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A switch is a flexible rod which is typically used for corporal punishment. Switching is similar to birching.

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Punitive switching

Switches are typically made of strong and flexible wood such as hazel, birch, or hickory.[ citation needed ] Willow branches are also used, as well as branches from strong trees and large shrubs. Switches are often from a garden or an orchard nearby, or taken from the wild. In the Southeastern United States, fresh-cut, flexible cane ( Arundinaria ) is commonly used.[ citation needed ] In the 20th and 21st centuries the use of corporal punishment has been criticized, in both North America and Europe. [1]

Switch in Adam Johann Braun's Maedchenschule, 1789 Adam Johann Braun Maedchenschule 1789.jpg
Switch in Adam Johann Braun's Maedchenschule, 1789

Making a switch involves cutting it from the stem and removing twigs or directly attached leaves.[ citation needed ] For optimal flexibility, it is cut fresh shortly before use, rather than keeping it for re-use over time.[ citation needed ] Some parents decide to make the cutting of a switch an additional form of punishment for a child, by requiring the disobedient child to cut their own switch.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Branch</span> Structural part of trees and plants

A branch, also called a ramus in botany, is a stem that grows off from another stem, or when structures like veins in leaves are divided into smaller veins.

Rod, Ród, Rőd, Rød, Röd, ROD, or R.O.D. may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanking</span> Corporal punishment of striking the buttocks

Spanking is a form of corporal punishment involving the act of striking, with either the palm of the hand or an implement, the buttocks of a person to cause physical pain. The term spanking broadly encompasses the use of either the hand or implement, the use of implements can also refer to the administration of more specific types of corporal punishment such as belting, caning, paddling and slippering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corporal punishment</span> Punishment intended to cause physical pain

A corporal punishment or a physical punishment is a punishment which is intended to cause physical pain to a person.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birch</span> Genus of flowering plants in the family Betulaceae

A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus Betula contains 30 to 60 known taxa of which 11 are on the IUCN 2011 Red List of Threatened Species. They are typically short-lived pioneer species and are widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in northern areas of temperate climates and in boreal climates. Birch wood, the wood of the birch, is used for a wide range of purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flagellation</span> Whipping as a punishment

Flagellation, flogging or whipping is the act of beating the human body with special implements such as whips, rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails, the sjambok, the knout, etc. Typically, flogging has been imposed on an unwilling subject as a punishment; however, it can also be submitted to willingly and even done by oneself in sadomasochistic or religious contexts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rattan</span> Material (vegetable source)

Rattan, also spelled ratan, is the name for roughly 600 species of Old World climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae. The greatest diversity of rattan palm species and genera are in the closed-canopy old-growth tropical forests of Southeast Asia, though they can also be found in other parts of tropical Asia and Africa. Most rattan palms are ecologically considered lianas due to their climbing habits, unlike other palm species. A few species also have tree-like or shrub-like habits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pillory</span> Restraint used to hold and punish a person in a standing position

The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, used during the medieval and renaissance periods for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. The pillory is related to the stocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caning</span> Punishment method

Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of a number of hits with a single cane usually made of rattan, generally applied to the offender's bare or clothed buttocks or hands. Caning on the knuckles or shoulders is much less common. Caning can also be applied to the soles of the feet. The size and flexibility of the cane and the mode of application, as well as the number of the strokes, may vary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whip</span> Type of blunt implement used for striking

A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue through the distinct whipcrack effect. The portion used for striking is generally either a firm rod designed for direct contact, or a flexible line requiring a specialized swing. The former is easier and more precise, the latter offers longer reach and greater force. Some varieties, such as a hunting whip or lunge whip, have an extended stock section in addition to the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birching</span> Type of corporal punishment

Birching is a form of corporal punishment with a birch rod, typically used to strike the recipient's bare buttocks, although occasionally the back and/or shoulders.

A spanking paddle is an implement used to strike a person on the buttocks. The act of spanking a person with a paddle is known as "paddling". A paddling may be for punishment, or as an initiation or hazing ritual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tawse</span> Tool used for corporal punishment

The tawse, sometimes formerly spelled taws, is an implement used for corporal punishment. It was used for educational discipline, primarily in Scotland, but also in schools in a few English cities e.g. Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, Liverpool, Manchester and Walsall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caning in Singapore</span> Corporal punishment

Caning is a widely used form of corporal punishment in Singapore. It can be divided into several contexts: judicial, prison, reformatory, military, school and domestic. These practices of caning as punishment were introduced during the period of British colonial rule in Singapore. Similar forms of corporal punishment are also used in some other former British colonies, including two of Singapore's neighbouring countries, Malaysia and Brunei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strapping (punishment)</span> Type of corporal punishment

Strapping refers to the use of a strap as an implement of corporal punishment. It is typically a broad and heavy strip of leather, often with a hard handle, the more flexible 'blade' being applied to the offender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caning in Malaysia</span> Corporal punishment

Caning is used as a form of corporal punishment in Malaysia. It can be divided into at least four contexts: judicial/prison, school, domestic, and sharia/syariah. Of these, the first is largely a legacy of British colonial rule in the territories that are now part of Malaysia, particularly Malaya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">School corporal punishment</span> Form of punishment

School corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of physical pain as a response to undesired behavior by students. The term corporal punishment derives from the Latin word for the "body", corpus. In schools it may involve striking the student on the buttocks or on the palms of their hands with an implement such as a rattan cane, wooden paddle, slipper, leather strap, belt, or wooden yardstick. Less commonly, it could also include spanking or smacking the student with an open hand, especially at the kindergarten, primary school, or other more junior levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judicial corporal punishment</span> Punitive practice

Judicial corporal punishment is the infliction of corporal punishment as a result of a sentence imposed on an offender by a court of law, including flagellation, forced amputations, caning, bastinado, birching, or strapping. Legal corporal punishment is forbidden in most countries, but it still is a form of legal punishment practiced according to the legislations of Brunei, Iran, Libya, the Maldives, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Qatar, as well as parts of Indonesia and Nigeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campaigns against corporal punishment</span>

Campaigns against corporal punishment aim to reduce or eliminate corporal punishment of minors by instigating legal and cultural changes in the areas where such punishments are practiced. Such campaigns date mostly from the late 20th century, although occasional voices in opposition to corporal punishment existed from ancient times through to the modern era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caning in Brunei</span> Corporal punishment

Caning is used as a form of judicial corporal punishment in Brunei. This practice is heavily influenced by Brunei's history as a British protectorate from 1888 to 1984. Similar forms of corporal punishment are also used in two of Brunei's neighbouring countries, Singapore and Malaysia, which are themselves former British colonies.

References

  1. Gould, Mark (January 9, 2007). "Sparing the Rod". The Guardian. London. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  2. Parker, Quincy (March 7, 2007). "Human Rights Abuse Concerns". The Bahama Journal. Nassau. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
  3. "Floggings cut crime: village leader". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. March 9, 2006. Retrieved February 5, 2009.