Although not all children in abusive families are assaulted, they are always subjected to increased worry and stress and endure trauma. All children exposed to domestic violence are in danger of becoming victims or perpetrators of abuse. According to a UNICEF report, domestic violence is the single largest predictor of children becoming victims or offenders as adults. According to a study, children exposed to violence in the home are 15 times more likely than the national average to be physically and/or sexually attacked. Look for a domestic violence lawyer near me for more.
What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence within the house can be physical, sexual, emotional, financial, or psychological. Domestic abuse may affect everyone, regardless of age, gender, economic background, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or education. Domestic violence can take many forms other than physical injury. It can involve acts or threats aimed at intimidating, humiliating, isolating, scaring, coercing, blaming, or harming another person’s conduct.
Domestic Violence in the United States
Though males are sometimes victims of violence, women are primarily victims, and their children often follow their mother if she flees to seek safety. Domestic abuse affects one in every four women in the United States.
What effects does Domestic Violence have on children?
Unrelenting, severe stresses can generate long-term brain alterations, leading to major vulnerabilities. The persistent barrage of stress hormones induced by domestic abuse can impact every element of a child’s functioning. Researchers discovered evidence that trauma alters the brain by studying brain scans.
Childhood trauma is easily linked to mental health illnesses (such as sadness and anxiety) in adults and children. However, it has been shown that childhood trauma can have physical consequences. According to the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study, adults with negative childhood experiences are likelier to have chronic health issues such as heart disease, cancer, liver disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study discovered that the more negative experiences people had as children, the more likely they were to have negative adult outcomes regarding health, behavior, and opportunity.
Lowering the incidence of Domestic Violence
This issue has gained increasing attention recently, but work still needs to be done. The enactment of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 was a watershed moment that raised awareness of the issue and improved community resources to combat it. Since the act’s passage, there has also been enhanced training for law enforcement and social agencies on more efficient ways to detect and handle domestic violence incidents.