Case in the canton of Bern Father beats son because of poor grades - convicted

A father from Bern is convicted of abusing his son because of poor school grades. A psychologist explains the serious effects of such violence on children.

A father from the canton of Bern was sentenced by the public prosecutor's office after repeatedly abusing his son over a period of one and a half years. The reason for this violence was dissatisfaction with the child's school performance.

The father used various objects such as a wooden stick, a belt and his hands to beat the boy, as reported by "20 Minuten". These acts clearly contradict the right to a non-violent upbringing enshrined in the Civil Code in 2001.

The child and adult protection authority of the city of Bern reported the case, which led to the father being convicted. He received a fine of CHF 800 and must pay his son's legal costs. The penalty order is legally binding.

Psychological effects of violence

Mischa Oesch, head psychologist of the child protection group at Inselspital Bern, emphasized to "20 Minuten" that corporal punishment has no positive effect on children's school performance. On the contrary, it leads to negative developments such as reduced motivation to learn, concentration problems and difficulties with frustration tolerance.

Every year, around 80 cases of physical violence against children are reported to the Inselspital, often discovered through inappropriate explanations of injuries by parents or information from teachers.

Oesch advises affected children not to blame themselves and to confide in someone. However, many children fear increased violence or changes if the authorities become involved. In the best case scenario, parents are understanding and willing to accept help to improve the situation.

This article was created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). All content created by AI is verified by the editorial team.