You may think children do not know about the abuse happening in their home...
Children know what is happening. They can feel helpless, scared, and many even think the violence is their fault. Violence in the home is dangerous for the kids. Children live with frightening noises, yelling and hitting. They are afraid for their parents and themselves. Children get mad, and feel sad, that they cannot stop the abuse. If they try to prevent the fighting the child can be injured. They can also be injured by things that are thrown or weapons that are used. They are harmed just by seeing and hearing the violence. Children in violent homes may also not be getting the care they need and deserve.
Children in these violent homes may have:
trouble sleeping
trouble in school
difficulties getting along with others
depression
fear
low self-esteem
Calling a domestic violence situation "home" is no way to live.
These problems do not go away on their own. Children do not "grow out of the scars they suffer from living in a violent home. Children are traumatized by witnessing violence in their family. The children in these home are often at high risk of being battered themselves. In addition, the long-term effects of witnessing such violence can create a cycle of abuse that spans generations. Men who are abusers often witnessed their mothers being abused. Women who come from an abusive family are more susceptible to suffering and tolerating their own domestic abuse. They may believe there is nothing they can do to get out of an abusive relationship. Both men and women who come from abusive homes come to view violence as normal. IT IS NOT NORMAL. Even if a child is not physically harmed, they are likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems.
