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Child Exposure to Domestic Violence

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Child Exposure to Domestic Violence

Introduction:
Domestic Violence is any willful intimidations, sexual assault, physical assaults, or any other forms of physical or verbal violent behavior by one intimate partner towards another. Domestic Violence can create both psychological and emotional effects on both the intended victim and anyone that witnesses it to include children. Some children that witness domestic violence are experiencing serious effects that they have to deal with all their lives. The severity of these effects on children depends on the intensity, consistency and whom is being assaulted. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Syndrome is one of the most serious effect that children are experiencing from Domestic Violence.
Children exposed to Domestic Violence are effected in different ways. Most of these effects may disappear during childhood while most of them stays with the child into their adulthood years. Some of these violence that our children are exposed to today are the results of parents that were exposed to some kind of violence during their childhood or it can be a result of inexperienced parents. There are many different behaviors that we can see in our children today as results of Domestic violence. Local and Federal government have agencies today that are designed to handle affected children and laws are in place to avoid Domestic violence. Domestic violence is one of main effect of the negative behavior that we see in our children today. Children who witness violence at home display emotional and behavioral disturbances as diverse as withdrawal, low self-esteem, nightmares, self-blame and aggression against peers, family members and property, Edleson, (1995).
Researches claim that between 3.3 and ten million children have been exposed to violence in the family or Domestic Violence. Studies found out that these children are showing behavioral problems such as aggression, insomnia, phobias and low self-esteem and depression. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one of the long-term behavior affect that we can see in these children today. PTSD can be mild or severe depending on the severity of events and consistency of the child’s exposure. PTSD includes different behaviors or symptoms such as emotional numbing, increased arousal, repeated focus on the event and obsessive and avoidance of any situations that may remind him of violence. Exposed children may also demonstrate poor academic performances in school, lack problem-solving skills and low level of empathy. These studies also show that these childhood exposures also stay with these children into their adulthood which can be the causes of domestic violence practices, depression and other criminal behaviors, Carlson (1992).
Domestic Violence can occur in families anywhere today. Domestic Violence can occur in families of different financial status, different geographical location and even in religious families in today’s societies. Though domestic violence affects families of different location and status, to affects low income families the most as court fees, hospital fees and property damages, in certain cases, may be included. Every one of us had been exposed to some degree of domestic violence in our lives. Some of these violence may be minor and only have minor or no effects at all in our behavior while some are serious and consistent. Violence that children are exposed to can occur at home as well as any other places. Parents that are exposed to domestic violence in their earlier ages does not see the difference in their behavior compare to other parents as they have been exposed to these type of behavior for too long that they think that it is normal and can be done anywhere they are and have no regard to who is witnessing it. Some parents may choose to do these behaviors in public as it may show others that they overpower the other parent, Phillip (2015). Public Domestic Violence often cause embarrassment to children which can be one of the causes of teen-agers run away from home just to avoid these type of parental behaviors. Teen-agers running away from home can be a way to avoid witnessing violence or to avoid embarrassment or just to punish the parents. Children may try to leave home looking for better place to live or to find someone that can provide better care for them. In some situation, older sibling may decide to interfere with this violence by stepping in to protect other siblings or one of the parents. In some occasions older children when run away from home, may take other siblings along to help prevent them from any further exposure to the violence.
While children are desperate to find their own ways out of Domestic Violence, Local and Federal Legal systems are creating laws and policies to intervene with this violence and protect children from exposure. Specialized programs and trainings are also in place to rehabilitate exposed children, and train young or inexperienced parent. The National Battered Women Advocate Center can help provide needed counseling and other help to rehabilitate assaulted women and The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) has a zero tolerance on domestic violence by providing programs and education to increase understandings of the impact of domestic violence. One can conduct their own researches to find more agencies that can provide local and federal help for domestic violence.

Conclusion:
In conclusion numerous studies throughout the world states that half of the children who experienced domestic violence are hurt and injured. These children are mainly exposed to different kinds of abuses and show large amount of symptoms varying between physical, behavioral and emotional. These victimized children generally suffer from different types of disorders like attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. As a result, their perception of social life and interrelations are damaged permanently, and they are pushed to the edge of low self-esteem, constant anger, and in worse case scenarios to substance abuse and suicide. It is widely believed that these children should be protected and isolated from violent environments and handled carefully for a possible healty future.

References:
Bibliography Child Protection, Domestic Violence and Parental Substance Misuse. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 29, 2014, from Family Experiences and Effective Practicd: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.itt- tech.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook Ed, D. B. (n.d.). Gale Encyclopedia of American Law 3rd edition Vol 1. Detroit. Retrieved 10 26, 2014, from Batterec Child/Spouse Syndrome: http://go.galegroup.com.proxy.itt- tech.edu/ps/retrieve.do New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV). (n.d.). Retrieved 10 29, 2014, from New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV): http://www.nyscadv.org/nyscadv-prevention-project/ The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). (n.d.). Retrieved 10 29, 2014, from The United States primary source for criminal justice statistics: http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=abu Women's Shelter. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 29, 2014, from A nationwide Directory of shelters for women: http://www.womenshelter.org
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, What is Domestic Violence:
http://www.ncadv.org/need-help/what-is-domestic-violence

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