Families and Domestic Violence

Domestic violence in a relationship affects the children of the couple tremendous negative ways. Unfortunately some parents do not realize it. They think that what’s going on between the parents is only between them. However, numerous studies show that being exposed to domestic violence makes a huge impact on how children grow up to be later on in life and how that traumatic experience affect their lives. Check Out Dating For Parents

Consider the children’s perspective. Children are entirely dependent on their parents not only for food and shelter, but also for their safety and their sense of security. With domestic violence present in their parents’ relationship, children that are exposed to violent behavior no longer feel secure and protected. The people who are responsible for providing the necessary security and protection to them are now the ones that the children need protection from.

Even when the couple thinks that their children are not being exposed to violence, they in fact are present maybe if not in the same area of the home, but they hear and see from their rooms what is going on between the parents. Many children tend to want to protect one parent, the one who is being subjected to violence by the other parent.

Children are horrified and confused when their parents fight or argue, even raise their voice at each other. The children’s fears overwhelm them. Children tend to remember the scary violent events long after the event takes place. Those threatening thoughts haunt them for a long time.

Sometimes children may bring up their memories in the classroom, the childcare or on the playground with their friends. They turn to strangers for help and advice.

Frequently as children grow, they may turn to drugs, alcohol and unacceptable social behavior.

If you find yourself in a violent relationship, especially when you have young children, it is important to know that you need to turn to help.

Many parents stay in an abusive relationship for the sake of their children thinking that having a family, regardless of how healthy or unhealthy a family relationship is, is better than raising children in a broken, divorced family. This perception is wrong. If your children witness violence on a regular basis in their own family and from their own parents, it is better for them to be in a divorced family where the parents at least try to work things out between themselves for the sake of their children, rather than staying together in a violent environment.

If you are in a violent relationship, seek help. There are many domestic violence shelters across the country. It is important to know that there are numerous resources that are available to victims of domestic violence and the legal system in place that protects persons who have been subjected to domestic violence. Those resources include free counseling to help survivors of domestic violence overcome the emotional trauma, job counseling resources, subsidized housing assistance, educational and vocational training resources and classes to educate survivors of domestic violence on how to find a healthy relationship and how to identify potential of domestic violence and violent behavior early on in a relationship so that to avoid the violence in the future and to break the cycle of violence.

Some victims of domestic violence turn to drugs and alcohol, unable to put up with abuse. Domestic violence prevention resources can help enroll in a treatment program to recover from substance abuse.

If you find yourself being subjected to domestic violence, look up domestic violence resources online to find telephone numbers for domestic violence prevention organizations in your state or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)