Child Victim/Witness of Domestic Violence

**Brina** · 09-01-2005, 10:16

Some potential effects:

Emotional

* Grief for family and personal losses.
* Shame, guilt, and self blame.
* Confusion about conflicting feelings toward parents.
* Fear of abandonment, or expressing emotions, the unknown or personal injury.
* Anger.
* Depression and feelings of helplessness and powerlessness.
* Embarrassment.

Behavioral

* Acting out or withdrawing.
* Aggressive or passive.
* Refusing to go to school.
* Care taking; acting as a parent substitute.
* Lying to avoid confrontation.
* Rigid defenses.
* Excessive attention seeking.
* Bedwetting and nightmares.
* Out of control behavior.
* Reduced intellectual competency.
* Manipulation, dependency, mood swings.

Social

* Isolation from friends and relatives.
* Stormy relationships.
* Difficulty in trusting, especially adults.
* Poor anger management and problem solving skills.
* Excessive social involvement to avoid home.
* Passivity with peers or bullying.
* Engaged in exploitative relationships as perpetrator or victim.

Physical

* Somatic complaints, headaches and stomachaches.
* Nervous, anxious, short attention span.
* Tired and lethargic.
* Frequently ill.
* Poor personal hygiene.
* Regression in development.
* High risk play.
* Self abuse

Child Victim/Witness of Domestic Violence

Age-specific indicators

Infants

* Basic need for attachment is disrupted.
* Routines around feeding/sleeping are disturbed.
* Injuries while "caught in the crossfire".
* Irritability or inconsolable crying.
* Frequent illness.
* Difficulty sleeping.
* Diarrhea.
* Developmental delays.
* Lack of responsiveness.

Preschool

* Somatic or psychosomatic complaints.
* Regression.
* Irritability.
* Fearful of being alone.
* Extreme separation anxiety.
* Developmental delays.
* Sympathetic toward mother.

Elmentary Age

* Vacillate between being eager to please and being hostile.
* Verbal about home life.
* Developmental delays.
* Externalized behavior problems.
* Inadequate social skill development.
* Gender role modeling creates conflict/confusion.

Preadolescence

* Behavior problems become more serious.
* Increased internalized behavior difficulties: depression, isolation, withdrawal.
* Emotional difficulties: shame, fear, confusion, rage.
* Poor social skills.
* Developmental delays.
* Protection of mother, sees her as "weak".
* Guarded/secretive about family.

Adolescence

* Internalized and externalized behavior problems can become extreme and dangerous: drug/alcohol, truancy, gangs, sexual acting out, pregnancy, runaway, suicidal.
* Dating relationships may reflect violence learned or witnessed in the home.

Susie · 09-01-2005, 13:31

sigh........

SpcilAngel · 09-01-2005, 15:36

Good to know and thank for putting it up. Will check it out later when I am more stable.

Sinead · 19-04-2005, 01:25

gee don't I know these :sigh:

falling down · 24-01-2007, 20:03

ouch

Brownie · 24-01-2007, 21:34

Ouch I agree never realizied how many effects could happen

Fixable · 16-05-2008, 19:03

Thanks for putting this up Brina... I actually speak to convicted offenders about my experience as a adult survivor of childhood DV... It's pretty powerful...

09-01-2005, 10:16	#1
Brina Senior Staff Support Staff Small Group Moderator PA to Small Group Coordinator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 24,732 Gender: F Mood: No Hugs	Child Victim/Witness of Domestic Violence Some potential effects: Emotional * Grief for family and personal losses. * Shame, guilt, and self blame. * Confusion about conflicting feelings toward parents. * Fear of abandonment, or expressing emotions, the unknown or personal injury. * Anger. * Depression and feelings of helplessness and powerlessness. * Embarrassment. Behavioral * Acting out or withdrawing. * Aggressive or passive. * Refusing to go to school. * Care taking; acting as a parent substitute. * Lying to avoid confrontation. * Rigid defenses. * Excessive attention seeking. * Bedwetting and nightmares. * Out of control behavior. * Reduced intellectual competency. * Manipulation, dependency, mood swings. Social * Isolation from friends and relatives. * Stormy relationships. * Difficulty in trusting, especially adults. * Poor anger management and problem solving skills. * Excessive social involvement to avoid home. * Passivity with peers or bullying. * Engaged in exploitative relationships as perpetrator or victim. Physical * Somatic complaints, headaches and stomachaches. * Nervous, anxious, short attention span. * Tired and lethargic. * Frequently ill. * Poor personal hygiene. * Regression in development. * High risk play. * Self abuse Child Victim/Witness of Domestic Violence Age-specific indicators Infants * Basic need for attachment is disrupted. * Routines around feeding/sleeping are disturbed. * Injuries while "caught in the crossfire". * Irritability or inconsolable crying. * Frequent illness. * Difficulty sleeping. * Diarrhea. * Developmental delays. * Lack of responsiveness. Preschool * Somatic or psychosomatic complaints. * Regression. * Irritability. * Fearful of being alone. * Extreme separation anxiety. * Developmental delays. * Sympathetic toward mother. Elmentary Age * Vacillate between being eager to please and being hostile. * Verbal about home life. * Developmental delays. * Externalized behavior problems. * Inadequate social skill development. * Gender role modeling creates conflict/confusion. Preadolescence * Behavior problems become more serious. * Increased internalized behavior difficulties: depression, isolation, withdrawal. * Emotional difficulties: shame, fear, confusion, rage. * Poor social skills. * Developmental delays. * Protection of mother, sees her as "weak". * Guarded/secretive about family. Adolescence * Internalized and externalized behavior problems can become extreme and dangerous: drug/alcohol, truancy, gangs, sexual acting out, pregnancy, runaway, suicidal. * Dating relationships may reflect violence learned or witnessed in the home. __________________ “Don't compromise yourself. You're all you've got ” – Janis Joplin Last edited by Brina!; 09-01-2005 at 10:17..

24-01-2007, 20:03	#5
falling down Companion Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,148 Gender: F Mood: tenatively hopeful	ouch __________________ "Preserve me, O God for in you do i put my trust" ~psalms 16: 1~

16-05-2008, 19:03	#7
Fixable Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,807 Gender: F Mood: Weighed down in agony...	Thanks for putting this up Brina... I actually speak to convicted offenders about my experience as a adult survivor of childhood DV... It's pretty powerful... __________________ Much Love, Fixable

09-01-2005, 15:36	#3
SpcilAngel Companion Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 910	Good to know and thank for putting it up. Will check it out later when I am more stable.

19-04-2005, 01:25	#4
Sinead Companion Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 7,813 Mood: OK	gee don't I know these :sigh:

24-01-2007, 21:34	#6
Brownie Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: USA - East Coast Posts: 192 Gender: F Mood: Un-sure	Ouch I agree never realizied how many effects could happen