Describe How Domestic Abuse Affects Children and Young People

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Describe how domestic abuse affects children and young people Sablehouse (2013) state that all children are affected by the violence in their homes. Regardless of whether or not our children have been physically abused, watching their mother being battered is a frightening experience. Children from violent homes can exhibit a variety of behaviours. Some may "act out" and may be viewed as delinquent. Others work very hard to excel at every endeavour in an attempt to keep the family peace. Living with violence creates intense stress for a child. Within an abusive home, children often become silent victims. The abusive behaviour may not be directed at them but most children hear or witness the violence from one adult to another the effects of this can be life long and can have a profound effect. Domestic abuse can leave a child without a childhood. They spend the time, they should be playing and learning, in states of panic, anxiety and depression. They are always on guard, watching and waiting for the next event to occur. They never know what will trigger the abuse, and therefore, they never feel safe. They are always worried for themselves, their mother, and their siblings. They may feel worthless and powerless. From an early age a child can pick up on tension in the home such as their mother’s fearfulness when the abuser’s car pulls into the driveway. Obviously, it is very upsetting for children to see one of their parents (or partners) abusing or attacking the other. They often show signs of great distress. According to rcpsych (2013) in relationships where there is domestic violence, children witness about three-quarters of the abusive incidents. About half the children in such families have themselves been badly hit or beaten. Sexual and emotional abuse are also more likely to happen in these families. In almost one third (30%) of cases, domestic abuse

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