Two thirds of children across Europe and Central Asia experience violent discipline at home, a third are physically punished – UNICEF

GENEVA, 13 October 2025 – Nearly one in three children in countries and territories with available data across Europe and Central Asia is subjected to physical discipline at home, and up to two in three face psychological aggression – the most common forms of violence against children, according to a new report published today by UNICEF.

Where we live and learn: Violence against children in Europe and Central Asia finds that physical punishment, including smacking, pinching or beating, affects more than 30 per cent of children in the region. While psychological aggression, including threats, humiliation, and verbal abuse, affects up to 69 per cent of children in 15 countries and territories in the region with available data.

“Violence is shaping too many childhoods across Europe and Central Asia, often at the hands of the people meant to protect and care for children,” said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia. “While banning all forms of corporal punishment in all settings is a critical step, governments must go further and invest in parenting support, strong protection systems, and frontline services that prevent violence and respond when it happens.”

The data show that more than 90 per cent of parents believe physical punishment and psychological aggression are unnecessary, but many are still using them, often because they are not equipped to regulate their own emotions and unaware of the long-term damaging impact of violent discipline on their children’s development and behaviour.

Children subjected to physical or psychological violence are more likely to develop mental health challenges, struggle at school, and engage in aggressive behaviour. These impacts can carry into adulthood, increasing the likelihood of future violence within families and communities – and fueling a preventable, intergenerational cycle of abuse.

While 38 of 55 countries and territories in the region have now banned corporal punishment in all settings – including at home – legislation must be met with concrete support for parents and caregivers, including parenting programmes and family support services.

The report also looks at the prevalence of sexual violence, and violence against children at school:

• Between 1 and 14 per cent of women across 19 EU countries report having experienced sexual violence before the age of 15 – though the actual number is likely far higher.
• On average, 11 per cent of children in the region report being bullied at school, 15 per cent report being cyberbullied, and 10 per cent have engaged in physical fights.

The global cost of violence against children is estimated at USD $7 trillion annually – around 8 per cent of global GDP.

Promising models such as the Barnahus model, which provides child-friendly, multidisciplinary support for child survivors of violence, show how coordinated services can help children overcome violence while seeking justice.

To accelerate progress, UNICEF outlines six recommendations in a new policy brief also published today:

• Ban all forms of corporal punishment in all settings.
• Invest in parenting programmes and family support services that promote positive discipline.
• Expand access to child-friendly justice and social services.
• Scale up safe and inclusive learning environments free from peer and teacher violence.
• Prioritize data collection and monitoring to track violence and measure progress.
• Ensure that no child, including those with disabilities, on the move, or in care, is left behind.

Ending violence against children is a legal obligation under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and a global commitment under the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Yet the region is not on track to meet this goal.