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Children Exposed to Domestic Violence: "Silent Witnesses" * Children who witness violence often have the same symptoms and effects as children who are victims of the violence themselves. o Ex: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Office for Victims of Crime) Children Exposed to Domestic Violence * 3.3 to 10 million children witness the abuse of a parent or adult caregiver each year in the U.S. * Exposure to this trauma negatively effects children's emotional, social, and cognitive development. * As these children grow up, they are at increased risk for delinquency, adult criminality, and violent behavior (Office for Victims of Crime). Effects can vary by: * Age * Gender * Length, frequency, and severity of abuse * Relationship with non-abusive parent * Whether the child is the target of the abuse * Access to a support network Effects of DV on Infants * Developmental delays * Attachment disorder * Failure to thrive * Hyper arousal * Infants may be caught in "cross-fire" and injured Effects of DV Prenatally * Higher risk of miscarriage * Less access to pre-natal care * Health risks to mother and fetus School-aged Children * PTSD * Psychosomatic complaints * Bed wetting * School failure/absenteeism * Behavioral problems * Depression * Sleeping problems * Eating problems * Relationship problems * Loss of trust * Violence * Parentification Adolescence * PTSD * Antisocial behavior * Dating violence * School failure * Substance abuse * Relationship problems * Runaway * Depression * Sleep disorders * Eating disorders * Parentification Adulthood Adverse childhood experiences lead to adult negative health outcomes: * Obesity * HIV/AIDS * Cancer * Heart disease * Suicide * Diabetes * Lung disease |
