How Domestic Violence Affects Children

Exposure to violence endangers children

According to the experts in the field of domestic violence, children who live in violent relationships not only are exposed to violent events, but also face the risk of neglect, the risk of being abused directly and the tragic risk of losing one or both parents.

Studies conducted by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services estimate that 10 to 20 percent of children are at risk for exposure to domestic violence. This estimation means that from 3.3 to 10 million children witness the abuse of a parent or adult caregiver each year.

Public opinion of domestic violence and its affects on children 

A study conducted by the Human Services Policy Center indicates that the general public feels:

• Exposure to violence harms and endangers all children. 

•  Mothers who stay with an abuser are not protecting their children. 

•  Childhood exposure to violence is a form of maltreatment. 

•  Child protective intervention is needed in these circumstances. 

This study went on to reveal the results of interviews with children who have been exposed to violent situations in their homes. These children believed: