Even if it was true that you had done something that could be construed as violent – and from your writing here you don’t come across as that sort of person – I am not sure six strokes of the cane would have done anything to help that situation.

I remember one bully at my primary school who decided it was fun to go around and stab unsuspecting victims in the backside with a large darning needle. He was caned and many of us were rather pleased to think that the punishment fitted the crime. Alas, I don’t think it did much good and the last I heard of him, he was behind bars.