Children Witnessing Domestic Abuse

Related child abuse myths & facts

Myth-1: Children in very young age will not be exposured to witnessing violence.

vs. Fact: Young children are earlier exposured to witnessing violence, spec

ially when the victim/bully is a family member. For example, the video which named "Children see, children do!".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JrtpCM4yMM Myth-2: Children will easily forget the violence which they saw in their

young age. vs. Fact: Children do not forget what they have witnessed. Adults hope th

at if the violence is not talked about, the children’s memories of the event will disappear. However, young children demonstrate a remarkable capacity for recalling traumatic events.

http://www.childwitnesstoviolence.org/facts--myths.html

myths & facts continue...

Myth-3: Violence is an urban problem and only children living in urban areas witness violence.

vs. Fact: Violence is not solely an urban problem. Violence has tou

ched the lives of families and children across the country: in rural areas, in the suburbs and in the inner city. Domestic violence can occur anywhere. Child abuse and community violence occur with more frequency in areas where there is a high concentration of persons with inadequate housing and income, and with high rates of drug use.

http://www.childwitnesstoviolence.org/facts--myths.html

myths & facts continue...

Myth-4: Violence is a racial problem affecting primarily Black and Hispanic children.

vs. Fact: Violence is not a racial problem nor does it exist primaril

y in minority communities. Domestic violence occurs at similar rates across all races and cultural groups studied. Research suggests that community violence is a function of poverty, not race. When people at the same income level are compared, there are few differences among races. This finding suggests that the context of poverty, not race, is a main risk factor for violence

http://www.childwitnesstoviolence.org/facts--myths.html

The prevalence of witnessing domestic abuse, both locally and globallyLocally: Each year in Canada, an estimated 362,000 children

witness or experience family violence.58 Domestic violence is more common in homes with young

children than homes with older children. 59 Children who witness this violence are at immediate risk

of being physically injured. 60 Children who grow up in violent homes are more likely to be victims of physical abuse.

According to the RCMP, a child who witnesses spousal violence is experiencing a form of child abuse, since research shows that “witnessing family violence is as harmful as experiencing it directly.”61

http://www.canadianwomen.org/facts-about-violence#LEAVE

The prevalence of witnessing domestic abuse, both locally and globally

Locally:

While not all children who witness violence suffer direct physical abuse, they frequently develop long-term behavioural and psychological problems. 62

Exposure to violence can affect children’s brain development and ability to learn, and lead to a wide range of behavioural and emotional issues such as anxiety, aggression, bullying, phobias, and insomnia. 63

Research shows that children who witness violence are more likely to grow up to become victims or abusers. 64

Children who witness violence in the home have twice the rate of psychiatric disorders as children from non-violent homes. 65

http://www.canadianwomen.org/facts-about-violence#LEAVE

The prevalence of witnessing domestic abuse, both locally and globally

Globally:

Clinical definitions are often broader than legal definitions. For example, one clinical source defines domestic violence as a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors, including physical, sexual, and psychological attacks, as well as economic coercion, that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partners.

https://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/docs/09_03_1.pdf

Signs, symptoms, and impact of the domestic abuse

https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=799&q=domestic+abuse&oq=domestic+&gs_l

Signs and symptoms: There are many signs and symptoms that children witness the domestic abuse in his or her family

Parents fight, humiliate or yell to each other most of the time

One parent has an unpredictable temper, jealousy, harassing phone calls, physical, sexual and emotional abuse another parent in family

One parent treat another so badly, embarrassed in front of the friends, family member and children

Threaten to take children away or harm them

Fearful talk to parents, have low self-esteem. Trying to run away from homeLost the love and respect that once had for your parentsFeel emotionally numb from parents fighting, arguing, and physical abuseAfraid that your abuser parent may try to kill youFeel that there is nowhere to turn for helphttps://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=799&q=domestic+abuse&oq

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm

What is the effect of domestic abuse on children?

Children who witness domestic abuse may develop serious emotional, behavioral, developmental, or academic problems.

Children from abuse homes may become depressed and have low self-esteem.

More likely to use violence at school or in the community in response to perceived threats

More likely to experience difficulties in school and score lower on assessments of verbal, motor, and cognitive skills.

More likely to become abusers in their own relationships later in life 

http://www.aaets.org/article144.htm

Causal FactorsAbusersPeople who are alcohol or drug abuseDaily life is full of frustration and stressMale control of wealth and decision-making in the family and marital conflictpoverty and unemployment,social isolation of the woman and male participation in delinquent peer associationsMale ownership of women ideas of masculinity linked to aggression and dominance, Rigid gender roles, acceptance of interpersonal violence and acceptance of physical chastisement.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=domestic+violence&source

http://houseofruthinc.org/faq

Casual FactorsChild

being abused as a child or witnessing marital violence in the home, having an absent or rejecting father

Having permissive parents

Exhibiting low self-esteem

Seeing or experiencing bullying by siblings.

Showing little empathy

Caving power

Exhibiting a low tolerance for frustration

Using physical strength to intimidate.

Relating to others negativelyhttps://www.google.ca/search?q=domestic+violence&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa

http://bullying.about.com/od/Bullies/a/What-Are-The-Risk-Factors-For-Becoming-A-Bully.htm

14

Prevention Strategies To empower child witnesses to disclose domestic

violence and to enhance their ability to develop safe, non-violent relationships.

To heighten the awareness among the parents of the impact of domestic violence on their children and to support them in developing non-violent, nurturing relationships with their children.

To improve the current response to the needs of child witnesses through raising the level of knowledge and skill among human service providers.

To encourage and facilitate the development of community responses to the issue of children and domestic violence

http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/issues/issues2/issues2.html

Reference http://www.childwitnesstoviolence.org/facts--myths.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JrtpCM4yMM

http://www.canadianwomen.org/facts-about-violence#LEAVE

https://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/docs/09_03_1.pdf

http://bullying.about.com/od/Bullies/a/What-Are-The-Risk-Factors-For-Becoming-A-Bully.htm

http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/issues/issues2/issues2.html

https://www.google.com.hk/search?safe=strict&biw=2021&bih=983&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=domestic+violence&oq

http://houseofruthinc.org/faq

https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=799&q=domestic+abuse&oq=domestic+&gs_l

https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=799&q=domestic+abuse&oq

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm

http://www.aaets.org/article144.htm