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Domestic violence affects every member of the family, including the children. Family violence creates a home environment where children live in constant fear.

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

Some potential effects 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

Source: https://hope-eci.org/violence-children/

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