Domestic violence and the impact on children….
August 12th 2007 by user2 in Child Abuse
Keran Thomas - Birdwing Therapies
Following Megan’s article about the potential signs of child abuse I wanted to talk further about the serious impact of domestic violence on our children.
Throughout my career in welfare and social work I have supported children and adults who have witnessed and been directly affected by domestic and family violence in their immediate family.
The cycle of domestic violence can be ongoing for some families. Domestic violence has been observed as inter generational patterns which are considered the norm and way the family system operates.
For young children, the impact of domestic violence affects their social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cognitive development, and can have ongoing detrimental effects. Children experience multiple trauma when domestic violence is present in their family.
Howe (1) suggests that that children who witness domestic violence within the home “sets up a number of psychological dilemmas for children. Witnessing violence is frightening. Children look to their attachment figures for safety and comfort in times of fear and danger.” Howe considers that the more extreme the aggression witnessed is, the higher the risk of psychological impairment to the child. (2005:198) Hence my support of the notion that children living in a home where domestic violence occurs, experience multiple traumas.
Children are at further risk of child abuse and neglect when living in a home environment that is not nurturing and responsive to the needs of the child/ren. Parents may become less engaged in the emotional needs of their child/ren due to their own levels of high stress and anxiety and the hypervigilance domestic violence can create.
If you, or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, tell someone, seek support and assistance for your sake, and that of the children.
(1) Howe, D. (2005) Child Abuse and Neglect – Attachment, Development and Intervention, Palgrave McMillan, Houndmills.
My next article will be about the impact of domestic violence on babies and toddlers.
Domestic Violence is Child Abuse: Story from a Child.
The following links may be of interest to you:
www.dvrc.org.au
www.wire.org.au
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August 12th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Great post! Child welfare and domestic violence organizations have begun to recognize the overlap between domestic violence and child abuse and the need for collaborative efforts between the two fields, since domestic violence and child abuse often occur within the same families.
Domestic violence perpetrators often directly injure children:
- A weapon used against the mother strikes the child in her arms.
- A child tries to defend the abused parent and winds up becoming the target of the abuser’s rage.
- An abuser intentionally abuses a child in order to intimidate and control their adult partner.
Domestic violence hinders parenting:
- The physical demands of parenting are daunting for spouses who have been awake all night fighting.
- The emotional demands of parenting can overwhelm an abused spouse suffering from trauma, damaged self-confidence, and other emotional scars caused by years of abuse.
Domestic violence affects child development:
- Infants can suffer from failure to attach to caregiver and “failure to thrive.”
- Preschoolers can regress emotionally, and suffer from nightmares and other sleep disturbances.
- Older children react with depression, anxiety and/or violence towards peers.
Another resource for learning about the overlap between child abuse and domestic violence is Making the Link: http://www.mincava.umn.edu/link/
August 13th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Great postings and I agree that domestic violence has a great impact on the behaviour of the children. Parents need to be a good example for their children and that is not possible in this case. Social help for both is necessary in this case.
August 14th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Great to see your support of addressing this important matter in child safety. My blog on the weekend will feature the impact on infants and toddlers. Catch you then!
Keran
December 29th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Birdwing will be posting further bloggs about domestic violence and its impact on child mental health, attachment and development- watch the Imaginif space this week. Let’s get the word out the domestic violence that is seen or heard can and does HARM OUR CHILDREN!