Child Abuse/Neglect
For many children, witnessing or experiencing Domestic Violence within the home plays an intricate role in their ability to thrive and develop proper social skills. According to statistics, over 3 million children witness violence in their home each year. (American Psychological Association, Violence & the Family, 1996). Every child that witnesses Domestic Violence tends to react differently depending on various factors such as age, gender and or environment. In so many homes where Domestic Violence is present children will usually experience some form of child abuse and or neglect.
Child Abuse:
- Inflicting physical harm on a child through beating, burning, choking, biting, shaking, pushing, restraining, kicking or any other mechanism meant to hurt or punish a child.
Child Neglect:
- Failure to meet the basic needs (emotional, physical, educational and medical) of a child.
Affects of Domestic Violence on Children:
Emotional
- Grief for family and personal losses.
- Shame, guilt, and self blame.
- Confusion about conflicting feelings toward parents.
- Fear of abandonment, or expressing emotions, the unknown or personal injury.
- Anger.
- Depression and feelings of helplessness and powerlessness.
- Embarrassment.
Behavioral
- Acting out or withdrawing.
- Aggressive or passive.
- Refusing to go to school.
- Care taking; acting as a parent substitute.
- Lying to avoid confrontation.
- Rigid defenses.
- Excessive attention seeking.
- Bedwetting and nightmares.
- Out of control behavior.
- Reduced intellectual competency.
- Manipulation, dependency, mood swings
Social
- Isolation from friends and relatives.
- Stormy relationships.
- Difficulty in trusting, especially adults.
- Poor anger management and problem solving skills.
- Excessive social involvement to avoid home.
- Passivity with peers or bullying.
- Engaged in exploitative relationships as perpetrator or victim.
Physical
- Somatic complaints, headaches and stomachaches.
- Nervous, anxious, short attention span.
- Tired and lethargic.
- Frequently ill.
- Poor personal hygiene.
- Regression in development.
- High risk play.
- Self abuse
