EFFECTS ON CHILDREN
0-5 Years
Physical complaints Sleep disturbances Bed wetting Excessive separation anxiety Clingy and anxious Failure to thrive 6- 12 Years
Behave in ways to reduce tension Attempt to control parental violence Fear being abandoned Fear being killed or fear themselves killing Fear their own anger and other’s anger Eating disturbances Insecure and distrustful of their environment
Girls
Boys
Somatic complaints Acting out Withdrawn and passive Tantrums Approval seeking Fights Mother’s little helper Low frustration Low frustration or infinite patience Bully 13+
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Suicidal thoughts and actions
- Running away
- Homicidal thoughts and actions
- Early pregnancy and marriage
- Criminal activities
(Taken from Jaffe, P. et al, 1990)
CHILDREN FROM VIOLENT HOMES LEARN TO BELIEVE THAT
It’s acceptable for men to hit women;
Violence is the way to get what you want;
Big people have power they misuse;
Men are bullies who push women and children around;
Expression of feelings signifies weakness;
Don’t talk about violence;
Don’t trust; and
Don’t feel.
There is a growing body of research which indicates that FDV and child abuse are linked and that the presence of one is a fairly strong predictor that the other is also present (McKernan McKay, 1994). For example, in Beyond These Walls (1988) there was an overlap of violence toward women and children of at least 40 per cent. Figures from Stacey and Shupe (1983, cited in McKernan McKay) indicate that child abuse is 15 times more likely to happen in families where FDV is present and Walker (1987) concluded that whilst a woman was living in a violent relationship she was eight times more likely to abuse her child/ren than when she was safe.
Children living in violent homes may have witnessed verbal threats of injury, objects thrown, floggings, threats with weapons, sexual torture, suicide attempts and murder. Children are not only witnesses to the violence but may also be assaulted during violent incidents.
"At times the pain in my children’s eyes haunts me. We don’t often talk about those years but there are occasions when we do, because we have to, he has caused so much damage to the children. I feel as if, especially the eldest child, they were robbed of their childhood. Through his violence they lost the ability to trust and love him and that flowed on. He had no excuse, not even the excuse of being drunk."
(Voices of Survivors, cited in Easteal, P. 1996).
© Health Department of Western Australia. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: Friday, 20 March 1998 10:28
