Copy and Paste from earlier thread:
Unfortunately, this kind of abuse cloaked as discipline is all too common.
I was beaten much worse on a regular basis as a kid for the slightest perceived infraction, and I was by no means a bad kid. The mental torture is nearly as bad as the physical pain.
One time, I remember having to miss Junior High school for a week because my face was so bruised (everyone thought my jaw was broken - I still have scar tissue in my mouth from that beating; I was trying to stop my Dad from beating my Mom - my Sister left home at 16, I left home at 17, and my parents divorced a few years later).
The strangest part is that a child can still love a parent that abuses them, while the abuser often feels justified in their behavior, or like the Judge, rationalizes their actions by claiming that it looked worse than it was. Of course, the same person would never find such a beating directed towards themselves so easily justified.
Fortunately, the cycle of abuse does not need to be repeated. Education, awareness, communication, and helpful action, are all useful in creating a more loving society.
ADG