This is kind of like saying "My grandmother smoked cigarettes all her life and lived until 83, so they must be safe." We have a lot of data showing the corporal punishment has negative effects on children, on average across the population.

It's hard to say exactly what causes that. However, the idea that it teaches children to defend themselves doesn't make sense to me because children who are spanked are not defending themselves.

> We have a lot of data showing the corporal punishment has negative effects on children, on average across the population.

I think the problem is that "corporal punishment" as a term is just too broad. You just used it upthread as "getting a spank" which is relatively minor.

The studies I am aware of showing negative effects use the term to mean "regular and systemic caning".

Those are two very different things; the studies are not studying the thing you referred to.

But that's the point: for corporal punishment to exist, you already have to have authority over someone by other means.

"Comply and let me inflict pain on you" seems very weird when it's equally true that "comply and be bored for a while" is right there as an option.