How Your Child May be Affected by Domestic Abuse
Each child is an individual that can be affected in many different ways by domestic abuse.
Even within one family children can respond in various ways depending on;
- how old they are,
- if they are male or female,
- what kind of relationship they have with the person who is being abusive,
- what kind of relationship they have with the person who is being abused,
- their own personality,
- what support they have outside the family home,i.e from grandparents, at school, clubs they attend or from friends
- how confident they are,
What is really important is that you make time to listen to them and find out what it feels like from their point of view. They probably know more about what is happening than you think.
Talking with your child may help you understand the ways they have found to cope with the situation and help you in addressing any aspect of their behaviour that is worrying you.
These are some of the things that they might be feeling;
- under pressure to keep the abuse a secret
- isolated because they do not feel able to bring friends to the house
- angry with the person who is being abusive
- angry or frustrated with the person who is being abused for 'letting it happen'
- anxious that someone might get badly hurt or be killed
- over protective, think that they should be stopping others from getting hurt
- confused about loving someone who is causing so much hurt
- confused about their own identity, what will they be like when they grow up
- worried about what will happen if the family is broken up
- tired because they can't sleep
- unable to concentrate in school
They do need someone to talk to about their fears
Here are some links to websites that are there to help young people who are living in homes with domestic abuse, it might help them understand what is happening and what services are there to help them.
"The NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) is the
ChildLine
"ChildLine is the free helpline for children and young people in the
