BEAUTY + WELLNESS
DOMESTIC
ABUSE WRITTEN BY
Domestic abuse affects children in different types
Vanessa Murphy
of ways. In the United States, more than 15 million children live in homes in which domestic violence has happened at least once. Some children can have
Domestic abuse happens more often than you would think. Having safe and effective resources to get help is incredibly crucial for victims, especially in the age of COVID-19.
A
short-term effects of experiencing or witnessing this type of abuse, while others can have long-term effects, as well as having their own problems arise when they start to have a relationship of their own one day. Depending on the age of the child, some of the short term effects can vary. If the child is in the
lthough we wish that all relationships
preschool-age range or younger, some of the devel-
were safe and healthy, unfortunately,
oping signs can include: difficulties staying asleep or
that’s not the case. Some relationships
falling asleep, signs of hiding or stuttering and signs
spiral downward into domestic abuse
of severe separation anxiety. If the child is in the
due to different factors. The chances of
someone falling victim to this type of relationship is far too common. Having a safe and effective way to leave an abuser is key to having the victim and their family stay out of harm’s way. How common is domestic abuse in relationships? Unfortunately, the numbers are too high. According to National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1 in 3 women in the US experience some sort of domestic abuse, including physical violence, rape, and/or stalking by an intimate partner. Men have chances that are just as high, with 1 in 4 in the US experiencing the same type of abuse. These types of abuse can start as early as in the teenage years. The National Domestic Violence Hotline also states that 1 in 10 high school students has experienced physical abuse from their partner just this past year alone. And, thanks to countless research studies, we have learned that the age of the victim does not matter; it can happen to anyone, at any age. Although no abusive relationship is the same, there are a few red flags that could signify the start of an abusive relationship*. Over the course of an abusive relationship, the abuse gets worse with time*. This type of behavior not only affects the victim but the family and potential children of the victim as well.
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school-age range, some of the kids blame themselves
1 in 3
for the abuse that their parents are experiencing,
women
turn, can snowball into the child not participating in
in the US
bad grades. Research has also shown that kids of this
experience
Teenagers may start to act in negative ways such
some sort
family members. They can also start to develop low
of domestic
start bullying others. Teenage girls are more likely
abuse
Different long-term effects can arise, but children
which can hinder the child’s self-esteem. This, in school activities, having fewer friends, and getting age range get more stomachaches and headaches. as skipping school or starting to fight more with self-esteem and have difficulties making friends or to be withdrawn and develop depression. that have witnessed domestic abuse have a greater chance of repeating this cycle in adulthood by either undertaking an abusive relationship or becoming the abuser themselves. “For example, a boy who sees his mother being abused is 10 times more likely to abuse his female partner as an adult. A girl who grows up in a home where her father abuses her mother is more than six times as likely to be sexually abused as a girl who grows up in a non-abusive home” claims the Office on Women’s Health. Not only does this affect a child’s future in regards to abuse, but it can affect their mental and physical health over time as well.
