Effects of Domestic Violence On Children: A Reminder

Sometimes they Say: "The One's We Love the Most get hurt the Worst when we mess up."

PART 1:

  “Domestic violence affects every member of the family, including the children. Family violence creates a home environment where children live in constant fear.  Children who witness family violence are affected in ways similar to children who are physically abused.  They are often unable to establish nurturing bonds with either parent.  Children are at greater risk for abuse and neglect if they live in a violent home.  Statistics show that over 3 million children witness violence in their home each year. Those who see and hear violence in the home suffer physically and emotionally.

  Whoa!!!  Let's back up just a minute!  Just exactly how are we defining Domestic Violence Here?  Well, in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act was Passed and Signed by President Clinton.  

  In this Act, DV was Defined in the following way:

"Domestic Violence: The Violence Against Women Act defines domestic violence as felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence (including threats or attempts) committed by a current or former spouse of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim/survivor who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies.  It should be understood that domestic violence/dating violence applies to any pattern of coercive behavior that is used by one person to gain power and control over a current or former intimate partner or dating partner.  This pattern of behavior may include physical or sexual violence, emotional and psychological intimidation, threats, verbal abuse, stalking, isolation, and economic control.  In compiling domestic violence figures, grantees should include grant funds directed at dating violence” (Source).

  "Families under stress produce children under stress. If a spouse is being abused and there are children in the home, the children are affected by the abuse." (Ackerman and Pickering, 1989) cited in (ACADV, 2012).  The bottom line is that if there is abuse in the home, it truly cannot be completely hidden from the children.  They are going to figure it out one way or the other.

Let's Look at some Numbers About This: 

“• Children in homes where domestic violence occurs are abused at a rate of 6 – 15 times higher than the national average in the general population.

• More than half of the children whose mothers are battered are likely to also be physically abused themselves.

• Whether or not the children are physically abused, they often suffer emotional and psychological trauma from living in homes where their fathers abuse their mothers.

• Children in homes where domestic violence occurs might indirectly receive injuries. Infants and children are often harmed when being held or shielded by mothers who are being beaten.

• Older children might be hurt while trying to protect their mothers.

• Children from violent homes have higher risks of alcohol and drug abuse and juvenile delinquency.

• Approximately 90% of children are aware of the violence directed at their mother.

• Children from violent homes have a higher risk of suicide than those from homes without violence.

• Approximately two-thirds of the young men between the ages of 11 and 20 who are imprisoned for homicide have killed their mother’s batterer” (ACADV, 2012).

“Top 10 Alarming Facts About How Domestic Violence Impacts Kids

1. 63% of all boys, age 11-20, who commit murder kill the man who was abusing their mother
2. 75% of boys who are present when their mothers are beaten were later identified as having demonstrable behavior problems
3. Children from homes characterized by domestic violence are five to seven times more likely to experience significant psychological problems relative to children in the general population.
4. Domestic violence exposed children are four times more likely to visit the school nurse.
5. More than half of school age children in domestic violence shelters show clinical levels of anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
6. Researchers have linked exposure to chronic abuse and violence with lower IQ scores, poorer language skills, decrements in visual-motor integration skills and problems with attention and  memory.
7. Cognitive problems associated with exposure to violence and abuse comprises one of the most direct threats to the developmental task of school adaptation and academic achievement.
8. Witnessing violence as a child is associated with adult reports of depression, trauma-related symptoms and low self-esteem among women and trauma-related symptoms among men
9. Children in homes where domestic violence occurs are physically abused or seriously neglected at a rate 1500% higher than the national average in the general population.
10. 3.3 million children witness domestic violence each year in the US” 

• (SOURCE. (Blog, 2011)).

  “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 effect their development and can continue into adulthood” (ACADV, 2012).

“Emotional effects of domestic violence on children

• Children take responsibility for the abuse: Like their mothers, children of battered women feel that if they could be ‘better,’ the abuse would stop.
• Constant anxiety: Children of battered women live in fear of the next abusive incident.
• Guilt: Children of battered women feel guilty for not being able to stop the abuse and for loving their abusive father.
• Fear of abandonment: Children of battered women worry that their mother will be killed. Many batterers constantly threaten to leave or tell their partner to leave. This makes the children feel vulnerable to being left without either parent.
• Stress-related illnesses: Children of battered women frequently have stress-related physical ailments, such as ulcers, rashes, sleep disturbances, headaches, or stomachaches.
• Disruption of eating and sleeping patterns: Children of battered women can suffer from inadequate rest and nutrition.
• Behavioral impact: Children of battered women may become aggressive, angry, and difficult to control. Or, they might be unusually passive, fearful, and withdrawn” (RACSJC, retrieved April 2013).

“Long-term effects of domestic violence on children:

  The inter-generational pattern of domestic violence is very clear in males. And there is new research that suggests that adult women who witnessed domestic violence as children might be at a higher risk for finding themselves in an abusive relationship. However, the most common characteristic among battered women is the fact that they are female.

  The entire community feels the negative effects of domestic violence on children. Domestic violence is a major factor contributing to the problem of teenage runaways and homeless street youth. Abusers sometimes kidnap their children to punish their partners for leaving them or to get them to come back.

  Today’s child growing up in a violent home may be tomorrow’s inmate. A recent study found that 93% of incarcerated males witnessed or were themselves abused as children” (RACSJC, retrieved April 2013).

  Other long-term effects might include: Social Isolation (from mental illness, shame and/or embarrassment), leading to chronic social/vocational problems and underachievement (poverty), possible years of psychotherapy, and family alienation as those in the family who are numb to the abuse or have violently chosen sides ostracize those in the family who are most negatively impacted by it (Beverly, 2013).

PART 2:

Question: Did You Ever Wonder if Little Itty-Bitty Babies Understand Domestic Violence?

“Impact of Domestic Violence on Child Development

  Domestic violence has a demonstrable, long-term impact on adult victims as well as children who witness violence. Children and youth who are exposed to domestic violence experience emotional, mental, and social damage that can affect their developmental growth. It also has adverse effects on the community at large.” (Source).

  “Compared with other kids, those who have witnessed DV experience far greater incidence of insomnia, bed wetting, verbal, motor, and cognitive issues, learning difficulties, self-harm, aggressive and antisocial behaviors, depression and anxiety, as well as, most troubling, adult domestic violence, with boys often becoming offenders, victims, or both, and girls more likely to become victims (Brown and Bzostek, 2003).

  A growing body of literature has revealed that children who have been exposed to DV are more likely than their peers to experience a wide range of difficulties, from anger and oppositional behavior, to fear, low self-worth and withdrawal, to poor sibling, peer, and social relationships. Studies have found evidence of much higher rates of pro-violence attitudes, rigid stereotypical gender beliefs involving male privilege, animal abuse, bullying, assault, property destruction, and substance abuse.

  A study by Kilpatrick, Litt, and Williams (1997) concluded that witnessing DV is an experience in and of itself sufficiently intense to precipitate posttraumatic stress in children. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified exposure to DV as one of several adverse childhood experiences contributing to poor quality of life, premature death, and risk factors for many of the most common causes of death in the United States.

  In addition to the exposure itself, other factors influence impact, including the nature of the violence, age of the child, elapsed time since exposure, the child’s gender, and presence of physical or sexual abuse.

  Children who witness fewer incidents of violence and experience positive interactions between caregivers may be, for instance, less detrimentally impacted than those exposed to frequent and extreme aggression. Younger children exhibit more concerning levels of psychological distress than older, more developmentally mature children. Children are highly anxious and fearful immediately after witnessing an incident of DV and less observably so as time passes, but this should not be assumed to indicate an absence of anxiety or fear. Boys tend to exhibit more externalizing behavior problems such as aggression and acting out, while girls tend to exhibit more internalizing behavior problems such as social withdrawal and depression.

  It nearly goes without saying that children who are exposed to DV and are also physically or sexually abused are at a higher risk for emotional and psychological problems than those who witness such violence and are not physically or sexually abused.

  In so many cases, it is difficult for those outside of these family systems to know with sufficient clarity what is going on, and it is often difficult to know how best to intervene. And unfortunately, the reality is that in many cases, meaningful intervention occurs only after a child has endured direct and continued exposure to DV.”  (SOURCE.) 

“Domestic Violence – Toxic Stress in Behavioral Health, Medical

Domestic Violence is more common than we may think and negatively impacts a child’s long term mental and physical health. In the United States it is estimated that up to 30% of children, 15.5 million, live in a household where domestic violence is present. Exposure to abuse and neglect can lead to what is called Toxic Stress that causes the body to produce stress hormones over long periods of time, including Cortisol, that can be quite harmful to the developing brain and body of a child. Studies have shown that the negative effects of being exposed to domestic violence can start as early as during pregnancy and in the early newborn period. Infants and children are the most vulnerable and it is important to be able to recognize those at risk to help prevent long term consequences.

The relationship between a child and his/her parent are what shape a child’s view of the world. The interaction between parent and child teach a child how others should treat them and how they should treat others. A healthy parent-child relationship is crucial for normal development and for a child to thrive. Infants and children view their parents as almighty and powerful as they depend on these adults to care for them. If there is a rupture in this relationship due to the parent’s absence or mental health concerns they learn to not trust adults. Because the parent is inaccessible to them when they need help with their strong emotions, they do not learn how to regulate them which can hinder their ability to form relationships with others. Victims can develop an exaggerated need to control their environment and appear “bossy or rigid.” There can be an unusually strong reaction to changes in routine.

Research has shown that being a victim of domestic violence can have serious negative effects on a child’s physical health as well.

Negative effects include:

Infants and toddlers can suffer feeding difficulties that can lead to poor weight gain. In addition, they can experience difficulties with sleep and excessive fussiness and crying. They may not meet their developmental milestones and become delayed.

Preschoolers can start to exhibit regression with bedwetting, daytime accidents, and thumb sucking. They may have sleeping difficulties which include nightmares. Behavior changes may include exaggerated separation anxiety becoming very whiny and clingy. In addition, they can have feeding difficulties and constipation.

School-age children can start to have problems with recurrent headaches, abdominal pain, and constipation. They may start to have problems focusing and concentrating which can lead to poor school performance. Behavior changes may include mood changes and bullying or aggression.

Adolescents can present with risky behaviors including drug use and sexual promiscuity which can lead to sexually transmitted disease. They also have difficulty with mood disorders including depression and increase suicide risk. In addition, they struggle academically and lack goal setting.

Ways to help a child or teen who is experiencing domestic violence:

• Allow a child or teen to talk about their experiences and without judging them or their family. Please remember that children in this situation still love their parents.

• It is suggested that children and teens become involved in outside activities. Social and recreational experiences allow children to focus on fun and developing new skills. A parent or another adult can let the child or teen know that they are taking steps to keep them safe.

• Safety plans are recommended so they are aware of how to keep themselves safe, when to leave the home and when to call 911. Developing a list of friends and relatives whom they call when they feel worried about their parent or themselves is essential. Their treating pediatrician can also be utilized as a resource.” (SOURCE.) 

 

  “Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) can have long-lasting effects on a child’s socio-emotional and neurological development. Research has focused on the effects of IPV on women or older children, while the developmental consequences of exposure to domestic violence during early childhood are less well documented. However, one would expect significant developmental effects since the infant’s brain and stress-related systems are especially susceptible to environmental stimuli.   The goal of this mini-review is to examine how findings on infant exposure to IPV can be related to risk and resilience of development in infancy. We describe the known effects of witnessing violence during the perinatal period on socio-emotional development and the possible pathways by which IPV affects brain and stress-regulating systems. Exposure to IPV during infancy disrupts the infant’s emotional and cognitive development, the development of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and brain structures related to witnessing itself (auditory and visual cortex). The findings are embedded in the context of the resource depletion hypothesis. A central problem is the dearth of research on exposure to IPV during infancy, its effect on caregiving, and infant development. Nonetheless, the available evidence makes it clear that policies for prevention of IPV are critically needed.

Summary and Future Directions

  The goal of this mini-review was to examine the evidence of the impact of exposure to IPV during the perinatal phase through early childhood. The definition of IPV is adult focused and is subsumed by other (poorly defined) terms (e.g., neglect, maltreatment). In contrast to neglect, witnessing IPV occurs when a caregiver is present and is distinct from violent maltreatment, as when a child is exposed to IPV the witnessed violence is not directed against the child. These kinds of maltreatment are likely to affect the child differently in physical terms and psychological terms. For example, how the child cognitively processes each of those experiences may radically differ. Moreover, IPV and other forms of mistreatment almost always co-occur, making it problematic to identify singular effects specific to IPV. These problems make it difficult to evaluate many of the studies for the effects of IPV separate from other forms of mistreatment. Of course, in the real world, exposure to IPV is in actuality an assemblage of developmentally disruptive actions which will most often have multiple physical and psychological effects on the child.

  One hypothesis on how IPV affects development can be derived from a developmental framework: witnessing IPV depletes resources that normally would be—should be—utilized for growth and development (Hobfoll, 1989; Tronick, 2017). It is well established that secure and sensitive caregiving is fundamental for the favorable development of brain structures associated with regulatory capacities. Such caretaking is, essential for the child to develop behavioral self-regulation. The occurrence of IPV disrupts this favorable caregiver-child interaction while it is happening, but critically not only while it is occurring. Moreover, adults on both sides who are involved in IPV likely have much more pervasive problems, perhaps due to their own exposure to IPV. Critically for the child, their experience of IPV affects their everyday caretaking (Letourneau et al., 2011; Pels et al., 2015). The effect of the caretaker’s state after IPV means the child has not only witnessed IPV but that the caretakers likely lack the resources for sensitive and consistent caregiving. Thus, they may be unable to help the child regulate or provide a sense of safety when the child needs it most, during or after witnessing an episode of violence.

  Disruption in caregiving is prevalent, and families dealing with IPV most likely are affected by co-occurring conditions such as parental mental health problems associated with the abuse, such as depression and anxiety or inconsistency in caregiving due to IPV related circumstances. More research and a more thorough distinction between different forms of adversity are needed to understand how exposure to IPV distorts the functioning and development of regulation-associated brain systems. DeJonghe et al. (2005) make an essential step towards a more profound understanding how sensitivity to stress as a result of IPV develops in the first year of life as theirs is the only experimental study in humans looking at behavioral effects of acute exposure to violence in infants that either have or have not been exposed to IPV. An extension of experimental research could assist in gaining a deeper understanding of how IPV disrupts caregiving, successful co-regulation with the caregiver to cope with an acute or chronic stressor, and the development of self-regulation in infancy. Examining the effects of IPV on physiological and endocrine markers of stress, as well as imaging methods documenting the effects of exposure to violence on infants in experimental as well as descriptive studies will help to separate primary and collateral causes that disrupt the child’s functioning and healthy development. And while much needs to be learned about IPV, the available evidence makes it clear that policies for prevention of witnessing IPV and experiencing other forms of maltreatment are critically needed for the insuring well-being of our infants and young children.” (Source).

 

“Effects of Domestic Violence During Pregnancy (An example of literature targeting the effects of DV and PTSD on Native American Children.”

In 2014, Michigan State University (1) professors studied and linked the abuse of pregnant women to symptoms of trauma in their children. Professors concluded that stress hormones released during pregnancy also increase stress hormones within the fetus. Some of the symptoms exhibited by the newborn baby included nightmares, startling easily and sensitivity to loud noises/bright lights.

The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children

Children and adolescents(2) exposure to domestic violence or even the threat of violence/abuse has been linked to an increased risk of psychological, social, emotional and behavioral problems. Violence includes physical aggression or assault as well as emotional abuse such as humiliation, intimidation, controlling actions and isolation from family and friends. Exposure does not require directly witnessing violence, because children often experience the harms associated with an awareness of violence.

 From Promising Futures(3), effects of exposure to domestic violence on children can include:

Believing the abuse is their fault

Turning against mother or father or having ambivalent feelings about both parents

Feeling that they are alone, that there is no one who understands them

Being afraid to talk about the abuse or express their feelings

Developing negative core beliefs about themselves and others

Developing unhealthy coping and survival reactions, such as mental health or behavior problems

Believing that the world is a dangerous and unpredictable place

Being isolated from people who might find out about the abuse or offer help

  In a case study of children exposed to violence(2), nearly half (46 percent) involved a parent/caregiver that was a victim of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). These caregivers/parents had few social supports (39 percent); had mental health issues (27 percent); alcohol (21 percent) and drug abuse (17 percent); a perpetrator of IPV (13 percent); had physical health issues (10 percent); a history of foster care/group home (8 percent) and cognitive impairment (6 percent).

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Historical PTSD

“Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.”(5) Children six years old and younger, may re-enact the traumatic event through play and/or experience frightening dreams.

  Sadly, Native American juveniles experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a rate of 22 percent - the same rate as combat veterans and triple the rate of the general population. This is due to Native children being “polyvictimized” experiencing several forms of violence including sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence, child maltreatment, and community violence. The risk of posttraumatic injuries, medical and behavioral disorders are increased by up to tenfold and their ability to thrive is severely compromised.(4)

  Four types of symptoms include: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in mood and thinking, and changes in physical and/or emotional reactions. Native American children may experience:

negative thoughts about oneself and others

viewing the world as dangerous

hopelessness about the future

difficulty maintaining relationships

difficulty experiencing positive emotion

overwhelming feelings of guilt or shame.

self-destructive behavior

irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior

  If you or the children in your life have disturbing thoughts and feelings about a traumatic event, or if you feel you're having trouble getting your life back under control, a medical or behavioral health care provider can help. Getting treatment as soon as possible can help prevent PTSD symptoms from getting worse. Children may also benefit from counseling or other types of mental health therapy.” (https://strongheartshelpline.org/abuse/ptsd-effects-on-children).

From the Child’s Point of View:

“Through the Eyes of a Child

Did I do something wrong to make you lose control?

Anger so strong or do you even know?

That when you come home I want to run and hide

The pain is so deep that I keep it inside

I'm not the same because of you

Always afraid of what you'll do

If only you could see yourself through my eyes

You'd know why (I’m dying inside)

Sometimes I need a firm, but gentle hand

Someone who cares and understands that I am still learning

But I just can't take this abuse, from you

There is no excuse I'm not the same because of you

Always afraid of what you'll do

If only you could see yourself through my eyes

You'd know why (I'm dying inside)

This is no way to live If you try to change I'll try to forgive.”

So...... When will we make this stop?

• (From CHANCE Changing How Adults Nurture Children's Egos) cited in (ACADV, 2012).

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(Originally Posted 8/3/2020)

Sources: Jefferson City, MO Rape and Abuse Crisis Services: http://www.racsjc.org/forms/abuse/Children_and_Domestic_Violence.pdf

http://www.acadv.org/children.html   http://blog.makersofmemories.org/2011/06/ten-alarming-domestic-violence-statistics/

 (c. 2020, William T. Beverly, Ph.D., LCSW, All information on the Blog (Except where otherwise noted); are the intellectual and/or photographic and/or digital property of Dr. William T. Beverly, L.C.S.W., DVOMB Approved Offender Treatment Provider.).