I don't have kids but spoken as a child of parents who didn't know how to use corporeal punishment.
My parents used it to vent their anger and frustration with their job, marriage and life in general.
So, I was beaten every day, usually it was small, I'd get slapped in the face or hit on the head multiple times throughout the day, but if they were angry by something or in especially bad mood, I'd get bruised. It really had little to do with me or what I did.
It looks like people either overuse or underuse it.
There is a certain place for corporeal punishment. A very few rare situations.
A child telling an ugly cussword to their mother's or father's face, or name calling them:
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A slap in the face might be due. Not a beating, a beating won't make any difference, ONE slap to instruct a point for reflection and reset boundaries. But I don't know... even then, because at that point, there's a usually a series of events as to why the child lost respect and things had already gone very downhill in the relationship if the child does this. The Hollywood version "go to your room" seems equally ineffective in fixing this.
Beside this type of situation (resetting boundary) I honestly see NO other cause for ever hitting a teenager, unless maybe if they murdered or raped someone or they became a child molester. I don't know how good I'd be at containing my wrath in that type of situation, as a parent. At least one hit would probably land. I don't understand when parents coddle their child after the child does something so horrible. It's like their golden child can do no wrong? But maybe I don't understand because I don't have kids... I don't know...
I was 19 when I finally stopped my mother from beating me, after trying to reason with her unsuccessfully, asking her if she's going to beat me until I'm 40 or 50. So as she continued, I gripped and withheld her hands in the air, that's literally all I did, until she spit into my face and left. After that she lied to my father that I hit her.
So. I do feel very mixed on this issue.
I am not really sure what beating anyone ever achieved.
The only other situation where I potentially might see corporeal punishment used, for a very small child that you cannot explain a dangerous situation for them and you need to stop them quickly and make them not repeat it, if situation can't be avoided/prevented differently (such as covering electric outlets with protective baby covers per example) :
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You quickly cause them a small pain so they won't do it again because slapping their butt once for future prevention highly overweighs the danger they put themselves into
I believe a child should be made to understand cause and consequence, and that you don't want them to make bad decisions and go through bad things in life. A lot of talking is required, quality talking. Some parents, sadly, don't know how to do that.