Policy Issues Child Exposure To Domestic Violence
Many parents seemed to have forgotten the impact that domestic violence has on a child. A big impact is that of being exposed to domestic violence at an early age, also the effect that domestic observation has on an individual and his character. Character flaws can impact a child into his adolescent years and also affect his decision making skills in adult years. I have seen the result of a child who has been a part of a domestic violence family and home. The mind frame which an adolescent is permanently damaged with is not a healthy one. The learned behavior that a male or female carry on becomes an unhealthy cycle.
It is too often that adults don’t realize that the major victim to domestic violence is the innocent child who lives the domestic violence environment. For example, young preschool children witnessing domestic violence has a negative effect on the development of preschool. There is a discrepancy between exposed and non-exposed children in cognitive ability as well as externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. When a child witnesses this violence, their trust is broken and they often show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. There is a chance for children to show resilience in the face of witnessing this violence. There are numerous physical and emotional effects domestic violence may bring to a child. Children living in a home where domestic violence is present are linked to many different emotional problems. Some emotional problems noted in the literature are emotional distress, fear of being alone, sleep disturbances, and being emotionally distant (Holt, 2008).
It has been my experience as a police officer to often make multiple visits to one home. I may have arrested a father or mother for domestic violence and down the road arrest one of their children for the offense. Positive parenting, re-establishing trust, and being attuned to children’s emotions can play a big role in diminishing the harmful effects of this trauma. The
It is too often that adults don’t realize that the major victim to domestic violence is the innocent child who lives the domestic violence environment. For example, young preschool children witnessing domestic violence has a negative effect on the development of preschool. There is a discrepancy between exposed and non-exposed children in cognitive ability as well as externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. When a child witnesses this violence, their trust is broken and they often show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. There is a chance for children to show resilience in the face of witnessing this violence. There are numerous physical and emotional effects domestic violence may bring to a child. Children living in a home where domestic violence is present are linked to many different emotional problems. Some emotional problems noted in the literature are emotional distress, fear of being alone, sleep disturbances, and being emotionally distant (Holt, 2008).
It has been my experience as a police officer to often make multiple visits to one home. I may have arrested a father or mother for domestic violence and down the road arrest one of their children for the offense. Positive parenting, re-establishing trust, and being attuned to children’s emotions can play a big role in diminishing the harmful effects of this trauma. The
References: American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.aaets.org Holt, S., Buckley, H., Whelan, S. (2008). The impact of exposure to domestic violence on children and young people: a review of the literature. Child Abuse Negl.