Factsheet 17: Domestic violence - its effects on
children: information for parents, carers and anyone who works
with young people
About this factsheet
This is one in a series of factsheets for parents, teachers
and young people entitled Mental Health and Growing Up.
The aims of these factsheets are to provide practical, up-to-date
information about mental health problems (emotional, behavioural
and psychiatric disorders) that can affect children and young
people. This factsheet looks at the effects that domestic violence
can have on children, and offers advice about how to try and avoid
these problems.
Introduction
What is domestic violence?
The term `domestic violence' is used to describe the physical,
sexual or emotional (including verbal and financial) abuse
inflicted on a man or woman by their partner or ex-partner.
How are children involved?
In relationships where there is domestic violence, children
witness about three-quarters of the abusive incidents. About half
the children in such families have themselves been badly hit or
beaten. Sexual and emotional abuse are also more likely to happen
in these families.
How are children affected?
Obviously it is very upsetting for children to see one of
their parents (or partners) abusing or attacking the other. They
often show signs of great distress.
Younger children may become anxious, complain of tummy-aches
or start to wet their bed. They may find it difficult to sleep,
have temper tantrums and start to behave as if they are much
younger than they are.
Older children react differently. Boys seem to express their
distress much more outwardly. They may become aggressive and
disobedient. Sometimes, they start to use violence to try and solve
problems, as if they have learnt to do this from the way that
adults behave in their family. Older boys may play truant and may
start to use alcohol or drugs.
Girls are more likely to keep their distress inside. They may
withdraw from other people and become anxious or depressed. They
may think badly of themselves and complain of vague physical
symptoms. They are more likely to have an eating disorder, or to
harm themselves by taking overdoses or cutting themselves.
Children with these problems often do badly at school. They
may also get symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, for
example have nightmares and flashbacks, and be easily
startled.
Are there any long-term effects?
Yes. Children who have witnessed violence are more likely to
be either abusers or victims themselves. Children tend to copy the
behaviour of their parents. Boys learn from their fathers to be
violent to women. Girls learn from their mothers that violence is
to be expected, and something you just have to put up with.
Children don't always repeat the same pattern when they grow
up. Many children don't like what they see, and try very hard not
to make the same mistakes as their parents. Even so, children from
violent families often grow up feeling anxious and depressed, and
find it difficult to get on with other people.
What can help?
- Professionals working with children, including
doctors, nurses, teachers and social workers, should make
themselves available for the child to talk to, and offer the help
and advice they need.
- Posters in community centres, schools and
health centres can give information and guidance.
- Women's Aid and Victim
Support are national organisations that give information
and support (see sources of further information).
- Legal advice is often important - the law has
recently been changed to make it easier to get
People in general need to recognise how harmful domestic
violence is to children. This can help the victims of violence to
realise that it shouldn't be happening to them, and that they can
ask for help.
Who can give mothers and children long-term
help?
Help is often needed for a long time. Survival needs have top
priority - safety from the abuse, a place to live, and money to
live on. Then for the children involved, contact arrangements and
school need to be sorted out. The mother is likely to be extremely
stressed and may well need her own counselling, psychotherapy or
treatment for depression or anxiety. Children showing difficulties
in school often need extra help from teachers. If the children
continue to be emotionally disturbed, it may be helpful for them to
be seen at the local child and adolescent mental health service or
some other local family and child counselling service.
References
- Abrahams, C. (1994) 'The Hidden Victims' - Children and
Domestic Violence. London: NCH Action for Children (http://www.nch.org.uk/). Out of
print
- Carr, A. (ed.) (2000) 'What Works with Children and
Adolescents? - A Critical Review of Psychological Interventions
with Children, Adolescents and their Families. London:
Brunner-Routledge.
- Rutter, M. & Taylor, E. (eds) (2002) 'Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry' (4th edn). London: Blackwell.
- Scott, A., Shaw, M. & Joughin, C. (eds) (2001) 'Finding
the Evidence' - A Gateway to the Literature in Child and Adolescent
Mental Health (2nd edn). London: Gaskell.
- Webb, E. (2001) The health of children in refuges for women
victims of domestic violence: cross-sectional descriptive study.
BMJ, 323, 210-213. www.bmjpg.com.
Sources of further information
- The Mental Health and Growing Up series contains 36
factsheets on a range of common mental health problems. To order
the pack, contact Book Sales at the Royal College of Psychiatrists,
17 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PG; tel: 020 7235 2351, ext. 146;
fax: 020 7245 1231; e-mail: booksales@rcpsych.ac.uk, or
you can download them from this website.
© [2004]
Royal College of Psychiatrists. This factsheet may be downloaded,
printed out, photocopied and distributed free of charge as long as
the Royal College of Psychiatrists is properly credited and no
profit is gained from its use. Permission to reproduce it in any
other way must be obtained from the Head of Publications. The College
does not allow reposting of its factsheets on other sites, but
allows them to be linked to directly.
Please note that we are unable to offer advice on individual cases. Please see our FAQ for advice on getting help.
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