Effects of Domestic Violence on Children

Lorenzo 'Shakes' Carcaterra was a boy from Hell’s Kitchen, New York, in the 1960’s. Shakes is of Italian decent and lives with his father and mother in a small apartment. Lorenzo’s father worked long hours for little pay and was quick to anger and used violence to control the household. Shakes witnessed the physical and emotional abuse of his mother. He never confronted his father, but always tried to play the peacekeeper between the two. Shakes mother was not fluent in English and had a hard time connecting to the community and her son. The trauma that Shakes went through because of the domestic violence shaped his psychological and social development. Shakes was a resilient kid and sought social support from three boys: Thomas "Tommy" Marcano, Michael Sullivan, John Reilly and various other men in his community.

There is no real way to tell if a child exposed to intimate partner violence will one day grow up to abuse his or her significant other but there are indicators which will be presented later on in this paper. As well as the short-term and long-term effects that witnessing intimate partner violence can have on children. First off we’ll delve into what intimate partner violence is and some of the national statistics.

Another common effect on children who witness domestic violence is that they have severe gender role issues. Clearly, children exposed to the abuse of their mothers are at risk for learning deleterious patterns of social behavior and for developing distorted expectations about the appropriate roles of men and women in the family (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). Therefore, children exposed

Children react to their environment in different ways, and those reactions can vary, depending on the child 's gender and age. Children exposed to family violence are more likely to develop behavioral, emotional, psychological, and social problems than those who are not. Recent research indicates that children who witness domestic violence show anger and temperament problems, depression, low self-esteem, and more anxiety than children who do not witness violence in the home. The trauma they experience can show up in behavioral, physical, social, and emotional disturbances that affect their development and can continue into adulthood.

Domestic violence is a widespread sociological problem wherein women and children are most often the victims. This sociological problem is compounded by the fact that so much domestic violence goes under-reported, whether against women or children. Domestic violence may take a wide range of forms and may include a variant combination of battery, sexual abuse, verbal abuse or general violence. Targets of such behaviors may include a spouse, child or both. For the purposes of this research, there will be an interest in noting the impact on children who are exposed to violence both directly as the victims of abuse or indirectly as witnesses to spousal abuse. In either instance, the same findings are anticipated. Namely, the primary thesis driving the

“It is estimated that approximately 1.5 million women and 830,000 men experience physical or sexual assault annually in the United States by intimate partners” (De Jong, 2016, p. 201). “In the United States more than 15 million children live in families in which domestic violence occurs and almost half of these children witness severe violence in assaults of a parent” (De Jong, 2016, p. 201).

For children living in violent and unsafe homes, they are learning that hitting and verbally abusing someone is the proper way of communicating love. According to Holt, Buckley & Whelan (2008), “as they learn a generational cycle begins in which children grow up to be victims and abusers as adults.” The effects that domestic violence has on children are heartbreaking. Some of the major effects are; increased risk of poor health, poor education, isolation, learned helplessness and decreased satisfaction in such family environment.

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.

Younger children do not have the ability to express or show their emotions which can cause behavioral problems. Even a child who witness domestic violence between their caregivers is more likely to suffer from emotional consequences from seeing violence. The long-term effects of exposure in young children can have negative effects in their later years. These outcomes have been documented as leasing to behavioral problems that include school dropout, violence, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, eating disorders, and even suicide attempts. In conclusion, when parents engage in any type of dynamic of domestic violence or aggression, their children, can be at an extreme disadvantage when it comes to emotional development. There are a variety of risk factors that can affect a child

Each year about 15 million children tend to see violence in their home (Joyful Heart Foundation). When a child experiences domestic violence in their home it can cause them to have long term and short term effects. Long term effects can be when they get older they could have trust issues with others, could have a difficulty keeping a relationship, and or have an ongoing depression. Children that grew up with abuse they sometimes in their adulthood will be an abuser since they experienced at home of abuse. It’s hard to break a cycle of domestic violence because the parents has set an example that abusive actions are normal (Domestic Violence and Abuse: Types, Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Effects).

Single-parent households can influence adolescents to become abusers of their spouses, children and themselves and are expected to experience domestic violence in their lives. Rather than having the balance of a two-parent home, single-parented adolescents are constantly exposed to stressors and ultimately become abusers themselves. This leads to a vicious and continuous cycle that could lead to the destruction of generations thereafter.

Domestic abuse is a far-reaching problem, impacting not just the victims but their children. Even the child is not being abuse, simply witnessing domestic violence can be harmful. What hurts the mother, hurts the children. Some children feel guilty that they cannot protect her when they getting abuse. Another kind of psychological harm will occur when they see their parents being hurt, they may feel confusion, stress and fear or think whether is they cause the problem. Research shows the rate of child abuse is 6-15 times higher in families where the mother is abuse. (Clarkprosecutor, n.d.) Besides, it misleading children grow up learning that it is right to hurt other people or let others hurt them for develop emotional

Domestic violence has grown to become a prevalent issue within households in the United States. Being such a great issue, we come to question the percentage of children affected and the impact it has on their social development and interaction with others. It is crucial for us to understand and recognize the long term effects that domestic violence can have on adolescents.

Throughout the course of one’s lifetime, there are countless events that shape the personality, actions and mentality of that individual. Some of these events will affect the individual in a positive way allowing great life opportunities, while other events will unfortunately affect the individual in a negative way which can lead to disorders. Among the various events that can affect a person, one of the most common occurrences that some children witness early on in their lives that deeply affect their long-term mental health is being a witness to domestic violence. Research and observations that were studied revealed that there are multiple factors that can contribute to a child witnessing domestic violence. The more categories that the

Physical child abuse can cause harmful everlasting effects that many people might not realize. What an abuser may fail to think about is that physical harm to a child’s body not only hurts their exterior but can also lead to extreme mental health issues like depression, uncontrollable anger, as well as anxiety. Children who suffer from physical abuse who never receive any treatment or healthcare during this time may not have as much control over their emotions and impulses compared to non-abused children. Abused children also may not excel in school and battle with their own relationships later in life. There is no mold or stereotype an adult must fit in order to become a child abuser, but there are a lot of potential influencers in a person’s life that may bring them to harm a child. Mental health, surrounding community, the use of drugs or alcohol, levels of stress, and personal experiences can influence a person to become abusive. However, there are ways to fix an abusive situation, mend relationships, and help a child fight the adverse effects of child abuse. Marriage and family counseling and positive community groups are just two examples of resources families can reach out to in order to fix their broken homes. Being proactive with abusive situations and seeking help from others can mend relationships that were torn apart from physical abuse.