Children Exposed to Domestic Abuse


It can be tempting to think that children remain unaware of what happens in an abusive home. Unfortunately, research shows this not to be true.


Children in abusive homes can experience the effects of abuse in multiple ways. They may be exposed indirectly to the abuser’s violent and coercive behaviors toward their parent by witnessing or overhearing the abuse, or by notic- ing bruises and injuries after an act of violence occurs. They themselves may experience verbal, physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse.


Whether directly or indirectly exposed, children who are exposed to domestic violence experi- ence the painful effects of abuse. Even if they themselves are not directly being hurt, they feel the pain and fear that comes from living with someone who is threatening and controlling. And since abuse and violence are learned behaviors, part of the impact on children can also involve them taking on the cultural beliefs that support domestic abuse.


One study reveals that men who were exposed to physical abuse, sexual abuse, and adult domestic violence as children were almost 4 times more likely than other men to perpetrate domestic violence as adults.


Abusers may involve children in a variety of ways, including:


 Telling the children that they are responsible for the violence.


 Threatening to take the children away.


 Turning the children against the non offending parent.


 Using the children to monitor the other parent's actions.


 Directly abusing the children, either emotionally, verbally, physically, or sexually.


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