When addressing domestic violence issues, the primary concerns generally involve providing help to the victim and removing the abuser from the home. In the immediacy of ensuring the physical safety of the parties involved, it is easy to overlook the less obvious victims of spousal abuse, such as the children who witness it. According to the Domestic Violence Roundtable website, children who witness abuse may feel fear, anger and helplessness. If these feelings remain unresolved, the long-term effects of witnessing abuse may manifest as severe behavioral problems, emotional problems and an increased propensity for repeating the violent behaviors witnessed as a youth. It is important to understand that even if a child is never physically abused, exposure to spousal abuse is just as potentially damaging as battery.
Delinquent Behavior
According to the Domestic Violence Roundtable website, "Children from violent homes have higher risks of alcohol/drug abuse, post traumatic stress disorder, and juvenile delinquency." Acting out aggressively and engaging in delinquent behavior is often a precursor to criminal activity as an adult. Furthermore, the Domestic Violence Roundtable website identifies domestic violence as "the number one reason children run away." On the streets, children are even more likely to engage in high-risk or criminal behaviors such as drug possession, thievery and prostitution to survive.
Emotional Issues
There are a number of emotional problems attributed to children who witness spousal abuse. In his article "Problems Associated with Children's Witnessing of Domestic Violence," written for the National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women website, Jeffrey L. Edleson, PhD says, "Children who witnessed violence were also found to show more anxiety, self-esteem, depression, anger, and temperament problems than children who did not witness violence at home." Girls, in particular, tend to struggle with low self-esteem, anxiety and depression as a result of witnessing abuse, while boys express their anger through violent outbursts. Although the emotional damage may improve with time, some children continue to suffer from depression into adulthood. Furthermore, children who witness abuse demonstrate less empathy and have difficulty relating to their peers, which affects their ability to establish healthy relationships as adults.
Cycle of Violence
Children who witness spousal abuse are sent a message by their parents that violence is acceptable. A girl who observes her father abusing her mother runs the long-term risk of becoming a victim of abuse herself. Joanne Davis, PhD, and Ernestine Briggs, PhD, in their co-authored "Witnessing Violence Fact Sheet," written for Medical University of South Carolina's website state, "Women who witnessed domestic violence as children may be at a higher risk for being victimized in their own relationships." Similarly, a boy whose father beats his mother has an increased risk of one day abusing his own partner when he is an adult. Even though it causes shame, depression and pain, violence is what he knows. Without intervention, children who witness spousal abuse are more likely to repeat the unhealthy patterns modeled for them by their parents.
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