EFFECT OF PARENTAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON CHILDREN

Mary C. Ezeajughu (PhD)

Abstract


While it is well known that domestic violence and child abuse are closely linked, there are some related aspects of children's development that have not been thoroughly studied and could affect the way in which services are provided. High levels of child abuse and related trauma disorders were revealed by a complicated pattern of findings. A small but solid body of research suggests that experiencing domestic violence during war increases the chance of having mental health and psychosocial wellbeing (MHPSW) issues. According to studies, experiencing domestic abuse can harm children and young people physically and emotionally in the following ways: persistent anxiety and depression, mental distress, irregular eating and sleeping patterns. Contrarily, the evidence indicates that loving parenting can act as a safeguard against the war's well-documented detrimental impacts on children's mental health. There is growing evidence from numerous sources that exposure to war alone cannot explain why children exposed to the same kinds of war events have distinct mental and psychosocial states and trajectories. Home life is one of the additional, and occasionally even more convincing, reasons. In reality, traumatizing factors for kids frequently come from everyday struggles as well as war-related incidents. The effects of conflict can be moderated and possibly even mediated by domestic life.


Keywords


Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Brain Development, Toxic Stress, Child Protection.

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References


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