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Domestic violence seriously impacts children

The actions of parents can impact the children in their home. There are many different things that can happen to shape the child’s mind and future. One of these is domestic violence. Children who are witnesses to domestic violence often have long-lasting problems that can be traced back to the things they observed at home.

Victims of domestic violence are often so focused on making it through the day and surviving that they can’t really focus on anything else. In most cases, getting out of the relationship is one of the only ways to end the cycle of domestic violence.

Life-long impacts

The life-long impacts of witnessing domestic violence are difficult to think about. Males are likely to have a lack of respect for women and might be very controlling in their relationships. There is a chance that they will become abusive to their significant other. Males might also suffer from health issues, such as high blood pressure, when they are adults. Females have a 50-50 chance of being involved in an abusive relationship. They might also suffer from mental health issues like low self-esteem, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Moving into adulthood, children who have been a witness to domestic violence are often unable to love others because they might feel like they are disconnected from relationships. When the impacts of domestic violence follow them into adulthood, there is a chance that the cycle of abusive relationships will continue in what seems like a perpetual cycle.

Immediate impacts

The immediate impacts might not be as easy to spot as the long-term impacts. Children often feel insecure about what is going on with the family. They might think that it is all their fault. In some cases, they are afraid. In fact, they might be too afraid to speak up about what is going on at home because the abusive parent might have told them not to say anything or they will be taken away.

Younger children might have trouble eating or sleeping. Older children might start to behave with delinquent tendencies. The risk of mental health issues in all children is also possible. These children might have trouble making friends or having a normal social life.

Women who are being subjected to domestic violence should make a plan to get out of the relationship. If your husband is abusive, make sure you clearly document this so that you can present the information when you are going through a divorce. It might have an impact on child custody.