WHEN
CHILDREN WITNESS VIOLENCE
Children
who witness violence may be affected in a wide variety of ways:
- Low self
esteem, a lack of self-confidence, and insecurity are often the result
of living in a violent home.
- Children
do not feel safe in their own home.
- Most children,
even very young children, are aware of violence in the home,
even if they
do not witness it first hand.
- Feelings
of responsibility, confusion, shame and anger are common.
- Boys who
grow up in violent homes are at a higher risk of being abusive
to their
partners in adulthood.
- Girls who
witnessed their mothers being abused may find it harder
to leave an abusive
adult relationship.
- Children
may develop behaviours such as nightmares, sleep disturbances,
and bedwetting.
- As children
grow older, they may become depressed, withdrawn, or passive,
and experience
feelings of hopelessness or powerlessness.
- Suicide,
drug abuse and emotional problems are evident in some teens
living in violent
homes.
- Children
living with violence often do poorly in school. They may have difficulty
concentrating, frequent absences and behavioural difficulties.
- Children
learn that violence is an accepted way for men to relate to women
and to
solve family problems.
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