Domestic Violence affects everyone in the home, especially children who witness violence.

The Facts

• Slightly more than half of female victims of intimate partner violence live in households with children under the age of 12
• Each year about 324,000 pregnant women in the U.S. are battered by the men in their lives
• In addition to actually observing violent acts, children can be harmed by:
  • Witnessing the act of forcible rape of an adult parent
  • Witnessing the physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of a sibling
  • Overhearing some form of violent threat or abusive act
  • Seeing the results of assaults (bruises, torn clothes broken furniture, etc.)
  • Being court-ordered to visit with the adult perpetrator without any or adequate emotions safeguards or supervised visitation
  • Being physically, sexually, or emotionally abused
  • Being emotionally neglected
  • Witnessing the abuse of  a pet
  • Suffering isolation
  • Engaging the child in abuse of the parent, other children or pets
  • Hearing constant threats
  • Being held hostage
  • Being subject to interrogation about the abused partner’s activities

 

Possible Effects of Witnessing Domestic Violence on Children

• Anxiety
• Low self-esteem
• Depression
• Shyness
• Suicide attempts
• Withdrawal
• Trauma/stress reactions
• Feelings of loss/anger/sadness/confusion
• Self-blame
• Physical problems
• School problems
• Social incompetence
• Low empathy
• Poor problem-solving, non-violent resolution, and conflict resolution skills
• Acceptance/legitimization
• Poor cognition
• Externalizing behavioral problems
• Aggression
• Alcohol and drug use

Safe/Non Abusive Family Systems Provide Infants, Children, and Teens With:

• Physical and emotional safety
• Spontaneous emotion
• Order/consistency
• Predictability
• Support for personal rights and freedoms
• Emotional nurturance
• Values, validation of feelings, thoughts, ideas and individuality
• Physical needs (shelter, nutrition, clothing, medical attention)
• Encouragement to realize their potential
• Positive role models
• Persistent state of calm and feelings of safety

Local Family Resources

• Knox County Health Department
• Knox County Health Department Resources For Children
• The Freedom Center
• The Main Place
• Mount Vernon YMCA
• Mount Vernon Public Library

 

 Discipline Resources

• Stop Hitting- Discipline At Home
• Dr. Phil on Discipline
• Keep Kids Healthy
• A Happy Childhood Can Last a Lifetime
• Is Spanking Effective?
• Focus on the Family
• 10 Alternatives to Spanking
• Suggestions to Help Children Maintain Control

 

Other Family Resources

• Parenting Class and Other Resources From Ohio Health
• 25 Things To Do With A Wiggly Toddler
•  101 Things To Do With Your Toddler
• 101 Things To Do With Your Preschooler
• 100 Free Things To Do With Your Grandkids
• Disney Family Fun

Educational Resources

• Teaching Tolerance
• Committee for Children

Preventing Child Sexual Assault

• Say NO for kids SA prevention
• Darkness to Light

Resources for teens

• Love is Not Abuse
• Break the Cycle
• One Student
• Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships
• Love is Respect
• Where do you draw the digital line?
• Choose Respect
• Dating Matters
• Veto Violence
• National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline:  1-866-331-9474; 1-866-331-8453 TTY
•  Teen Power and Control Wheel PDF (Teen_P_C_wheel)
• Teen Equality Wheel PDF (TeenEqualitywheel)
• Books to Read to Children DV

 

For more information, please email at info@newdirectionsshelter.org or call (740)-397- HELP (4357).

Some resources adapted from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network’s “Working with Kids Who Witness DV.”