Contents page
Introduction 1
Results/Findings 2
Methology 3
Ethical considerations 4
Limitations 5
Investigation 6
Primary
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Intro
When discussing whether or not domestic violence affects the children in the family, first domestic violence must be defined; domestic violence is the act of violence or threatening behaviour that usually takes places in the household (however can take place outside the home, for instance on social media) towards another as a form of control, the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator can differ, they may be in a romantic relationship or be family.
Domestic violence has a huge effect on the victims, they may have been suffering from optional, physical, financial, sexual or spiritual abuse, they would naturally have negative effects due to this however does domestic violence have an effect on the children in the family?
Although many parents believe that if the children are not in the same room as them when the abuse is taking place they will not be affected, however 'witnessing abuse' is not just seeing the abuse that takes place but also hearing or even sensing the tension in the household.
This report will analyse whether or not witnessing domestic violence affects children and young people. An interview will be conducted with a volunteer who will discuss if she thinks, experiencing domestic violence affected her
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Is it because she could explain her daughter’s behaviour as that of a rebellious teen? Or is it because her two youngest children were effected in some way or another and she did not want that information to become disclosed? The answer is unknown and will remain unknown. All that can be done is to theories however the secondary investigations conducted suggest that all three children would have been affected in some way or another.
The fear of witnessing a family member experiencing domestic violence is a new form of abuse in itself. The child may be feeling constantly worried, nervous or anxious as they do not know when the next time an event is going to take place; they would also feel resentful towards both the perpetrator and the victim, the perpetrator because they are carrying out the abuse and the victim because they are unable to stop it from
Domestic violence can often go unnoticed, unreported and undeterred before it’s too late. Unfortunately, recent awareness efforts have gathered traction only when public outcry for high profile cases are magnified through the media. Despite this post-measured reality, a general response to domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) by the majority of the public is in line with what most consider unacceptable and also with what the law considers legally wrong. Consider by many, more than just a social discrepancy, the Center of Diseases Control and Prevention currently classifies IPV and DV as a social health problem (CDC, 2014).
Making an Impact – Children and Domestic Violence – A Reader second edition, Marianne Hester, Chris Pearson, Nicola Harwin and Hilary Abrahams
In conclusion, the invisibility of domestic violence has caused numerous negative effects on women, children and the overall structure of modern day society. Women have been affected psychologically as well as socially. Children have been disadvantaged by the effects of domestic abuse within the school environment and in the latter parts of their lives. (worldly statement).
Leaving or trying to leave can often increase the violence or abuse, and can put both the victim and her children in a position of fearing for their lives. Some women worry that telling the truth will further endanger them, her child or other family members and that it might break up their family. Signs that shows verbal domestic violence is that they may seem anxious or nervous when they are away from the abuser or they may seem overly anxious to please their partner. If they have children, the children may seem timid, frightened, or extremely well-behaved when the partner is
In conclusion, it is clearly shown that domestic violence has a negative effect on the children who witness it. An expanding body of research suggests that childhood trauma and adverse experiences can lead to a variety of negative health outcomes (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.1). In fact, childhood stressors such as witnessing domestic violence and other household dysfunctions are highly interrelated and have a graded relationship to numerous health and social problems (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.2). It is obvious and clearly shown that the children who witness domestic abuse have serious long term mental effects.
There exists a vast amount of literature that suggests that there is a connection between intimate partner violence and maladaptive outcomes for children. Studies have shown that children who witness violence undermines the children’s sense of security. Intimate partner violence (IPV) proves to be distressing and deregulating for the children victims of intimate partner violence. Not only is witnessing violence distressing for children but is also been shown that it can interfere with the deal with stressors and learn age-appropriate skills. While there have been many studies to show the effects of IPV on the development of children, there have not been studies that show how IPV can affect children’s memory skills.
This causes many children to experience difficulties learning and concentrating at school. Children who witness domestic violence generally have difficulty sleeping, which may also directly affect their behavior and learning in the classroom. Difficulties with conflict resolution and belief in male privilege derive from seeing their father have control over their mother and can be detrimental to the child’s ability to form relationships. They witness violence and aggression as a means of conflict resolution and inherently learn that it is acceptable to be controlling in a relationship. In regards to gender, children exposed to domestic violence may exhibit differences in their behavior.
Today, children are likely to experience or witness violence in the home. With domestic violence being the most frequent type of violent crime, a child's homes is no longer a safe haven. Statistics show that domestic violence is the major cause of injuries to women; their husbands or lovers kill one third of all women murdered in United States. Unfortunately, a number of these cases occur in the presence of children.
Holt, S., Buckley, H., & Whelan, S. J. (2008). The impact of exposure to domestic violence on children and young people: A review of the literature. Child Abuse and Neglect, 32, 797-810.
Domestic violence can affect families in more ways than one: the husband-wife relationship, the children, and also the financial stability. “One woman is beaten by her husband or partner every 15 seconds in the United States” (Stewart & Croudep, 1998-2012). Domestic violence can interfere with the husband-wife relationship because one spouse is always in constant fear of the other. This violence could vary from physical abuse to psychological abuse, meaning that the abuser persuades the victim that they deserve the beating.... ...
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 child falls into, the more likely they are to develop mental health issues later on in their life (Meltzer, Doos, Vostanis, Ford, and Goodman, 2009). The research conducted by Meltzer et al. (2009), was used to study the factors that were intertwined with domestic violence, as well as to better understand the needs of children who have witnessed the violence at a young age.
When a child witnesses domestic abuse it can have many different effects on the child. From my research I found that one of the most common effects on the child were mental health problems. In one study, conducted in New Zealand, young people that reported high levels of exposure to inter-parental violence had elevated rates of mental health problems (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Some of the least severe mental health problems included anxiety, inability to focus, and nightmares (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). But these problems, which appear to be less severe, can also be the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). In a study conducted in 2001 the results indicated that higher levels of symptoms indicative of post traumatic stress were associated with children who have witnessed domestic violence (Hill & Nabors & Reynolds & Wallace & Weist, 2001, p.1). ?Children who have witnessed domestic violence are more likely to develop symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; that is, high levels of an...
Violence is displayed everywhere in society through media like entertainment, in their schools and communities, and within their homes. It is difficult to imagine living in a world without some sort of violence due to it being so prevalent in society. Many children have been exposed to violence in their own homes or have become victims leaving detrimental short and long term effects. There are three forms of domestic violence in the homes. They are physical, sexual, emotional abuse. People often think of domestic violence as having bruises or a broken arm, but in reality it is an occurrence that happens repeatedly over a period of time. One study concluded “children in domestic violence shelters found that almost half their mothers had
Everyday, a child witnesses an act of violence. Not on television but in their own home. "Family and home are not havens in which a child finds nurturing and safety, but rather a battleground where fear, anxiety, confusion, anger, and disruption are significant threads in the tapestry of home life," Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. Children of family violence are often abusers or victims of abuse themselves. Family violence is a cycle that is very hard to stop. A home is supposed to be a safe place where children learn how to love and relate to others. If they are constantly seeing violence in their parent's relationship, then they assume that a normal relationship is also filled with violence. Often, children do not understand why the violence occurs and may be afraid to share their emotions because of fear. They may associate love and pain together, because this is witnessed in their home. This could lead to psychological problems and confusion about relationships. Children who witness family violence tend to have behavioral, interpersonal, and emotional problems.
NSW. (2002, September 24). Domestic Violence and it’s impact on Children’s Development. Retrieved from http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/dv_paper.pdf