Effects Of Domestic Violence On Children
adapted from "Domestic Violence: A National Curriculum Of Child Protective Services"
by Anne Ganley and Susan Schechter, 1996, Family Violence Prevention Fund.
AGE GROUP: 0-1 YEAR
Behaviors Of Domestic Violence Pepetrators That Harm Children
- Being violent in front of the children
- Waking children up with the sound of violence
- Exposing child to assaults against mom or property
- Threats of or use of violence against child
- Sexual abuse of child
- Hitting or threatening child/mother while child is in mother's arms
- Taking child hostage to get mother to return to domestic violence perpetrator
- Making mother choose between meeting needs of perpetrator or attending to child
Effects Of This Abuse On Children
- Physical injury or death
- Being born prematurely
- Fear and trauma which result in sleep and eating disturbances
- Child may become colicky or sick
- Child may become nervous, jumpy, cry a lot
- Child may be insecure, unable to bond
- Child may become listless, non-responsive
- Failure to thrive
AGE GROUP: 2-4 YEARS
Behaviors Of Domestic Violence Pepetrators That Harm Children
- All of the behaviors listed for 0-1 year
- Hurting child when s/he intervenes to prevent mom from being injured
- Using child as physical weapon against mother
- Interrogating children about mother's activities
- Forcing child to watch assaults against mother or to participate in abuse
Effects Of This Abuse On Children
- All of the effects listed for 0-1 year
- Acting out violently
- Withdrawal
- Problems relating to other children
- Delayed toilet training
- Insecurity and depression
AGE GROUP: 5-12 YEARS
Behaviors Of Domestic Violence Pepetrators That Harm Children
- Being violent physically and/or sexually towards mother in front of the children
- Hurting child when s/he intervenes to stop violence against mother
- Using child as a spy against mother
- Physically or sexually abusing child
- Interrogating child about mother's activities
Effects Of This Abuse On Children
- Physical injury or death
- Fear
- Insecurity, low self-esteem
- Withdrawal
- Depression
- Running away
- Early interest in alcohol and drugs
- School problems
- Becoming an overachiever
- Bed-wetting
- Sexual activity
- Becoming caretaker of adults
- Becoming violent
- Developing problems to divert parents from fighting
- Becoming embarrassed by his/her family
AGE GROUP: TEEN YEARS
Behaviors Of Domestic Violence Pepetrators That Harm Children
- Physically or sexually abusing child
- Coercing child to be abusive to mother
- Being violent physically or sexually to mother in front of child
- Hurting child when s/he tries to intervene to stop violence against mother
- Using child as a spy against mother
- Forcing child to participate in attack on mother
Effects Of This Abuse On Children
- School and social problems
- Shame and embarrassment about his/her family
- Sexual activity/promiscuity
- Tendency to get serious in relationships too early in order to escape home
- Truancy
- Becoming a super-achiever at school
- Depression
- Suicide
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Confusion about gender roles
- Becoming abusive
Special Effects On Teenage Girls
- Physical injury or death
- Fearing that male violence is normal
- Learning that women do not deserve respect
- Accepting violence in their own relationships
- Embarrassed about being female
- Becoming pregnant
Special Effects On Teenage Boys
- Physical injury or death
- Fearing that males are violent
- Learning disrespect for women
- Using violence in their own relationships
- Confusion or insecurities about being a man
- Attacking mother, father, or siblings
.