Student View on Violent Forms of Discipline in Schools in the Jaffna District of Sri Lanka.

Violent forms of discipline (VFD) used in homes and schools to correct children's behaviour have significant long-term consequences, leading to their prohibition in most countries. This study focused on understanding school children's perspectives on VFD. A community-based cross-sectional study surveyed 16 to 19-year-olds using random sampling. Out of 1130 participants, 60.7% reported experiencing violent punishment at least once during a school term. Physical punishment was most common (64.5%), followed by psychological methods (27.1%). Interestingly, 85% of students were aware of their rights under the child's charter, and all knew emergency contact numbers. An overwhelming 86.3% preferred alternative disciplinary methods, believing VFD negatively impacts their future development. Participants with better knowledge supported legal measures against VFD ( < .05). The differences in prevalence when compared to other studies indicate that cultural background might influence acceptance of such practices. These findings underscore the importance of promoting non-violent disciplinary strategies to safeguard children's well-being and development.