Analyse The Effects Of Exposure To Domestic Violence On Development

Violence affects a healthy family’s relationship, state of mind and well-being, in other words, it’s normal functions. Because of violence, children are forced to endure and cope with mental, physical and emotional trauma leading to a display of impacts on health, development, and wellbeing. The effects build up over time and can impact on every aspect of their life.  How many children and innocent lives must suffer from something unnecessary? Imagine walking into a home late at night to find a child hiding in a corner, with a bloody face and cuts all around their body saying they were self-inflicted or making up other silly excuses like falling down the stairs out of extreme fear. Up to 75% of all acts of domestic violence occurs between the ages 18-24. No child should ever see domestic violence as normal because the moment that happens a future perpetrator has been born. We need to take a stand and refuse to let domestic violence become something we ignore.

It is estimated that between 10 and 20 percent of children in the United States are exposed to domestic violence annually (Carrell & Hoekstra, 2010). What are the thoughts and feelings of children who are exposed to violence within the home? Children who are exposed to domestic violence can become fearful and anxious. They tend to be on guard, watching and waiting for the next event to occur, a sense of hypervigilance. What are the outcomes of these children as they get older? Does the cycle of abuse continue as adults? The answers to these questions will be further discussed in this paper.

A child who was exposed or, experienced violence suffers multiply negative physical and mental health outcomes. Violence is especially distressing for smaller children, because they spend more time with their parents. Since, smaller children rely more on their parents to protect them and make their environment safe. Violence at home creates a stressful environment and also health problems that carries on into their adulthood. Exposure to violence at home may teach a child to learn to be more aggressive, fight and have antisocial behavior. Children who are exposed to violence at home have lower levels of self-esteem and social skills. “Research shows that the exposure to family violence during the early years when the capacity for emotion regulation is growing and children attachment to parents is strongest. It is important for children to feel wanted and can trust parents. If the trust is broken it’s disrupt child’s attachment and brain development. The plasticity of a child’s brain development have both negative and positive outcome. Positive in which a child is open to learn new things, but is also negative because the earliest stage is “vulnerable to development problems should their environment prove especially impoverished or un-nurturing.” Even though a child is exposed to traumatic events, they can be help by confronting.

Whenever we talk about the subject of domestic violence, the first concern that we have is on adults who have experienced it. However, little attention has been paid to children who were exposed to domestic violence. The tragic reality of a long term effects for who have experienced domestic violence is not only to adult but their children. The younger the children is the harder for them to understand violence and coping with it. Therefore, children who witness their parents being abused are more likely to growing up thinking hurting people is a way to protect themselves or that is okay to being hurt by other. According to a study, nearly “4.8 million acts of physical or sexual aggression are perpetrated against women while 2.9 million physically

Children are impacted the most in a household where domestic violence occurs. Fifty-four percent of families reported that domestic violence occurred in the child’s home (Bowen, 2000). That is over half of all children who experience some sort of physical or psychological abuse at some point in their lifetime. Children exposed to violence exhibit many more problems than children who do not witness violence at home, including anxiety; aggression; depression and temperament problems; less empathy and self-esteem; and lower verbal, cognitive, and motor abilities. Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics reports that “children who witness domestic violence are likely to become sufferers of posttraumatic stress disorder” (Lundy, Grossman, 2005). They lack the confidence in themselves, because they are constantly told they are bad. Behavioral problems, particularly externalizing behavior, in children who witness marital violence and who are victims of abuse have been found to be worse than in children who are exposed to just one type of violence (Cox, Kotch, & Everson, 2003). Some children act up just so they can get attention from peers and elders. This is because the child does not receive the appropriate attention at home, possibly from being neglected by their parents.

The phrase “domestic violence” typically refers to violence between adult partners. Sadly, it has been estimated that every year between 3.3 and ten million children are exposed to domestic violence in the confines of their own home (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa et al. 2009). According to research conducted by John W. Fantuzzo and Wanda K. Mohr (1999): “Exposure to domestic violence can include watching or hearing the violent events, direct involvement (for example, trying to intervene or calling the police), or experiencing the aftermath (for example, seeing bruises or observing maternal depression)” (Fantuzzo & Mohr, 22). The effects of exposure can lead to behavioral and developmental issues at a young age or interpersonal relationships

“There are more than three million children that are a witness to domestic violence in their own homes every year (Prinz 2003)”. When a child lives in a home when they are exposed to domestic violence they suffer also. They are at risk for abuse and neglect at thirty to sixty percent. “When children are exposed to domestic violence, they are more at risk for health problems, including becoming sick more often, having frequent headaches and stomachaches, and being more tired and lethargic than normal children (Prinz 2003)”. Children will try to intervene when they witness their parent being abused. This can put the child at great risk for injury and even cause death. In the United States there are between ten and twenty percent of children that are exposed to domestic violence.

Next to be discussed are the emotional problems that domestic violence can create. Many juveniles will blame themselves for what is happening in their home. They believe that if they somehow could just act a little better or be a little more helpful, everything will get better. They feel guilty that they can’t protect the battered parent. They are very disturbed by the conflict of love and hate that they feel toward the parent that is battering. They deal with constant sadness and feelings that they are unworthy. These children are very cautious and worried because they don’t know when the next act of violence will occur. Exposed children may become nervous, and fidgety. Sensitiveness to

Childhood problems associated with exposure to domestic violence fall into three categories. First we have behavioral, social, and emotional problems in which higher levels of aggression appears such as anger, disobedience, fear, low self- esteem, and poor social relationships began. Sometimes children become aggressive or abusive towards their own family members. Often times women experience domestic violence from their sons while others may be abused by their partner and their children at the same time. Males usually copy their fathers behavior or they may be afraid they will turn out like them. Although this may be a temporary behavior which is disturbing women must do something to protect themselves as well as their other children

(2008) did not examine if infants and toddlers exposed to domestic violence have similar outcomes as school aged children or adolescents. Infants and toddlers exposed to domestic violence may experience difficulties with attachment. Their caregiver may be overwhelmed and depressed as a result of experiencing domestic violence. The quality of parenting and the ability of parents to meet children’s needs may be compromised in households that experience domestic violence. Results of a meta-analysis conducted by Kitzamnn, et al. (2003) indicated that one to two thirds of abused women experience post-traumatic stress disorder, low self-estimate, depression, and anxiety. This may impact the infant or toddlers ability to experience emotions and form a secure attachment (Holt, et al.,2008). Bogat, DeJonghe & Levendosky (2006) found that 44% of infants exposed to domestic violence had at least one trauma symptom. This was found for infants whose mothers exhibit trauma symptoms, but not for infants exposed to less severe forms of domestic violence. Holt et al. (2008) found that toddlers exposed to domestic violence have more difficulties with separating from parents, which may indicate an unsecure attachment. Results of these studies indicate that children may experience the negative outcomes of witnessing domestic violence from infancy to

Children are exposed to domestic violence in many ways. They may hear parents threating each other, out of control reckless anger, or even se one parent assault the other one. Many children are affected by hearing threats to the safety of one parent whether it results in physical injury or not. Children who live in or around domestic violence are also at increased risk to become direct victims of child abuse. Domestic violence poses a serious threat to children’s psychological, emotional, and physical well being, especially if the violence is chronic.

When reviewing the effects on children who are living in a violent home, the most vulnerable are infants.

Domestic abuse is a major concern for families throughout the world. Anyone can become a victim of domestic violence and it affects not only the victim of the abuser, but the children in the home. The research sets out to explore the psychological effects of witnessing violence in the home. Children of all ages were studied and it has been found that the children who participated have higher instances of depression, anxiety, anger, confusion and early sexual behavior. The research suggests that the exposure to domestic abuse in the home has adverse psychological effects on children that can last a lifetime if not properly treated. Furthermore, professionals should address any type of abuse to properly treat and break the cycle of abuse.

Domestic violence stories are stories that are shared way too often by women all over, but when a child is exposed to these acts, their social, emotional, and behavioral growth can be greatly impacted.

Predominantly domestic violence occurs among adults. For those who have children they are affected by the violence too. When child witnesses or is a part of domestic violence the effects can vary. Research reveals that some of the symptoms these children may display include aggressive behavior, reduced social competencies, depression, fears, anxiety, sleep disturbances and learning problems. Underlying many of those problems are the children’s emotional responses to the violence, such as intense terror, fear of death, and fear of loss of a parent. In addition, children may harbor rage, feelings of guilt, and a sense of responsibility for the violence. Children who witness traumatic events, such as incidents of domestic violence, may feel helpless