How does violence in the home particularly affect children? How can children in these violent households be helped?
KF: Many people believe domestic violence affects children when they “see Daddy hit Mommy” and again this is a narrow approach to looking at the issue of domestic violence and children. When I teach on this subject, I discuss three “ways” children can experience domestic violence: 1. Visual (seeing abuse happen whether it’s physical, sexual, verbal, etc.) 2. Auditory (hearing abuse happen whether it’s physical, sexual, emotional, etc.) 3. Aftermath (seeing that abuse has occurred after it’s happened for example bruising, broken furniture, punched hole in wall, etc.). Each of these ways can put children at increased risk for developing behavioral, social, emotional, and cognitive issues. Children living in homes where domestic violence occurs also puts them at increased risk of being neglected as well as directly abused themselves. For more details: www.childwelfare.gov If you know a child who is living in a violent home, you can help them tremendously by simply being a safe, trusted ad
