Corporal punishment strap, also known as a tawse, is a leather strap used to inflict physical pain as a form of punishment. It was commonly used in schools in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but has since been outlawed in most countries. The tawse was usually made of two strips of leather joined together at one end, with the other end split into several tails. It was used to strike the hands or back of the person being punished.