How Domestic Violence Affects Children
How Domestic Violence Affects Children
It has been well documented that children exposed to domestic violence suffer many forms of trauma, particularly children who witness violence inflicted by one parent on the other parent. To begin, Domestic Violence is typically not about one incident of actual violence but a sustained pattern of abusive behaviors and attitudes that may escalate over time. Threatening words and gestures become part of a pervasive atmosphere of fear. The intimidation is frequently life threatening. (Groves 2006) It is called domestic because it involves a family, a home or household, or a partner. It could be any member of the family or household that is practicing the violent behavior. Either way, the children involved will be extremely affected. It is widely assumed that if a child is very young they will not remember any violence they experienced at this age. It is believed that time will erase the memories, if the child is under a certain age. This is the reason that in the past most of the research done about domestic violence and juveniles refer to older children. However, in research done in the past few years, infants and toddlers have shown signs that they are affected by being exposed to violence as much as older children. Violence knows no class, ethnic, race, age, or geographic boundaries so it does not discriminate against which child it will affect. (Groves, 2006)
Furthermore, juveniles in violent homes have been called the “forgotten,” “unacknowledged,” “hidden,” “unintended,” and “silent” victims. They have received insufficient attention for far too long. There is a growing recognition that living with or growing up in an atmosphere of domestic violence can have detrimental effects on the juveniles concerned. Said juveniles will exhibit more adjustment difficulties’ than juveniles from non-violent homes. (Radford, 2008) Domestic Violence can affect development and lead to emotional, social, physical,
It has been well documented that children exposed to domestic violence suffer many forms of trauma, particularly children who witness violence inflicted by one parent on the other parent. To begin, Domestic Violence is typically not about one incident of actual violence but a sustained pattern of abusive behaviors and attitudes that may escalate over time. Threatening words and gestures become part of a pervasive atmosphere of fear. The intimidation is frequently life threatening. (Groves 2006) It is called domestic because it involves a family, a home or household, or a partner. It could be any member of the family or household that is practicing the violent behavior. Either way, the children involved will be extremely affected. It is widely assumed that if a child is very young they will not remember any violence they experienced at this age. It is believed that time will erase the memories, if the child is under a certain age. This is the reason that in the past most of the research done about domestic violence and juveniles refer to older children. However, in research done in the past few years, infants and toddlers have shown signs that they are affected by being exposed to violence as much as older children. Violence knows no class, ethnic, race, age, or geographic boundaries so it does not discriminate against which child it will affect. (Groves, 2006)
Furthermore, juveniles in violent homes have been called the “forgotten,” “unacknowledged,” “hidden,” “unintended,” and “silent” victims. They have received insufficient attention for far too long. There is a growing recognition that living with or growing up in an atmosphere of domestic violence can have detrimental effects on the juveniles concerned. Said juveniles will exhibit more adjustment difficulties’ than juveniles from non-violent homes. (Radford, 2008) Domestic Violence can affect development and lead to emotional, social, physical,
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