By Michael Slack ’25
There is an increased risk of children becoming victims of abuse themselves because of the link between domestic violence and child abuse. Among victims of child abuse, 40% also witness domestic violence in their homes (Harrison). Domestic violence is one of the worst problems that people face on a daily basis. The costs of domestic violence amount to more than $37 billion a year in law enforcement involvement, legal work, medical and mental health treatment, and lost productivity at companies (DoSomething.org). A boy who sees his mother being abused is ten times more likely to abuse his partner as an adult (Harrison).
Kids that witness domestic violence are at a higher risk of getting PTSD, Anxiety, and are more likely to be violent in their adult life. If you are someone that is going through this there is a hotline that you can call at anytime.. There was a study done and the participants were asked how they were affected by unfavorable experiences during childhood. The effects were fear, sense of endangerment, limited ability to predict daily routines, receiving poor modeling of communication and coping, poor relational connections, maladaptive coping, and difficulty understanding their environment (OUZOUNIAN). Personal views and the potential needs of the former witnesses were highlighted by specific descriptions of the past experiences which may have led to the negative outcomes in their lives, such as sense of indirect victimization, post traumatic stress, psychological distress, affected self-esteem/confidence, and relational difficulties. In 2018, 76% of child abuse perpetrators were a parent to their victim (DoSomething.org). Adult survivors of childhood abuse are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors like smoking, alcohol and drug use. When kids witness domestic violence it could ruin their life. It can cause a lot of harm to the kids mental health and will really affect their adulthood. When this is a constant thing that the kid witnesses they will think that it is normal and that it happens to everyone. So then they will raise their kid like that because they don’t know any better.
Participants shared similar beliefs about the lack of support they received during childhood and expressed the need for therapeutic intervention as a form of resolving some of the embedded learned behaviors and coping skills from the past (OUZOUNIAN). Children who witness violence between parents may also be at greater risk of being violent in their future relationships.
If you are a parent who is experiencing abuse, it can be difficult to know how to protect your child. A parent could talk to their child and tell them that abuse is wrong and you should never abuse anyone. There is also a hotline that victims of domestic violence can call. Children who witness domestic violence or are victims of abuse themselves are at serious risk for long-term physical and mental health problems. A kid who doesn’t experience domestic violence as a kid has a much better chance of not being abusive or struggling with Anxiety or PTSD. A kid who does go through domestic violence will be raised thinking that it is okay to abuse your kids and that it is normal. So when they are adults there’s a good chance they will do the same with their own kids.
If you are someone that is going through these types of things get help if you need it by talking to people. If you suspect domestic violence is happening, check! Try to intervene, Go up and talk to them. You can look for signs of domestic violence to try to prevent it. If you see someone is acting off you should always just talk to them to see what’s going on and if they’re okay, and ask if they need anything.
The Raider Press 