The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children
Unit 6 Project: The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children
Trudy Root
Kaplan University
CM107-11
Children are negatively impacted by the surrounding of domestic violence in multiple ways, in which need to be identified. The audience that needs to be aware of domestic abuse’s effects on children is adults that care for children; such as pediatricians, teachers, counselors, and parents. The issue that needs to be addressed is the negative effects on children involved in a domestic violence situation. Many people can see how abuse can affect a child, however many of those people do nothing about it. What causes children to negatively be affected by the surroundings of domestic abuse? According to Long Term Effects of Domestic Violence, “the children are also affected in both overt and subtle ways”. (Stewart, 2012). Sometimes children feel guilt when they are unable to protect the one being abused. What also may lead to hurt is when children witness yelling, pushing, or hitting. This type of hurt can lead to confusion, stress, fear, shame, or blaming themself for the problem. These causes then affect children in ways which have been stated by Stewart. Families where a mother is abused are at a higher risk of child abuse by 6 to 15 times. When these children witness abuse, they are more likely to develop emotional problems. Angela Browne had stated that, “boys who witness their fathers’ abuse of their mothers are more likely to inflict severe violence as adults. Data suggest that girls who witness maternal abuse may tolerate abuse as adults more than girls who do not”. (Browne, 1987). Also, drug and alcohol abuse is a higher risk for these children. Interviews by Maria Roy, with children in battered women’s shelters, “85% of children have stayed twice with friends or relatives because of the violence, and 75% over the age of 15 had run away at least twice”. (Roy, 1988). These children may experience emotional problems, difficulty of making
Trudy Root
Kaplan University
CM107-11
Children are negatively impacted by the surrounding of domestic violence in multiple ways, in which need to be identified. The audience that needs to be aware of domestic abuse’s effects on children is adults that care for children; such as pediatricians, teachers, counselors, and parents. The issue that needs to be addressed is the negative effects on children involved in a domestic violence situation. Many people can see how abuse can affect a child, however many of those people do nothing about it. What causes children to negatively be affected by the surroundings of domestic abuse? According to Long Term Effects of Domestic Violence, “the children are also affected in both overt and subtle ways”. (Stewart, 2012). Sometimes children feel guilt when they are unable to protect the one being abused. What also may lead to hurt is when children witness yelling, pushing, or hitting. This type of hurt can lead to confusion, stress, fear, shame, or blaming themself for the problem. These causes then affect children in ways which have been stated by Stewart. Families where a mother is abused are at a higher risk of child abuse by 6 to 15 times. When these children witness abuse, they are more likely to develop emotional problems. Angela Browne had stated that, “boys who witness their fathers’ abuse of their mothers are more likely to inflict severe violence as adults. Data suggest that girls who witness maternal abuse may tolerate abuse as adults more than girls who do not”. (Browne, 1987). Also, drug and alcohol abuse is a higher risk for these children. Interviews by Maria Roy, with children in battered women’s shelters, “85% of children have stayed twice with friends or relatives because of the violence, and 75% over the age of 15 had run away at least twice”. (Roy, 1988). These children may experience emotional problems, difficulty of making
References: Browne, Angela. When Battered Women Kill. (The Free Press 1987). Gewirtz, A. and Edleson, J. (2004). Young Children’s Exposure to Adult Domestic Violence: Toward a developmental risk and resilience framework for research and intervention. Retrieved from http://www.nccev.org/pdfs/series_paper6.pdf. Stewart, S. (2012). Long-Term Effects of Domestic Violence. Office of the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney. Retrieved from http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/domviol/effects.htm.