The goal of the children's program is to help children cope with the trauma of domestic violence. Children are provided with activities which foster cooperation, self-esteem, physical exercise, and personal safety.
Childrenwho live in homes where a parent or caretaker is experiencing abuse are commonly referred to as “child witnesses” or “children who are witnessing” domestic violence. Althoughparents frequently believe they are protecting their children from witnessing their abuse, children living in these homes report differently...
“Researchers have found that 80 to 90 percent of children in homes where domestic violence occurs can provide detailed accounts of theviolence in their homes.” – Bragg, H. Lien, Child Protection In FamiliesExperiencing Domestic Violence, 2003, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect.
It is usually pretty easy to tell when a child is happy or excited about something. But, kids have different ways of showing they are stressed. When young children are stressed, they often show their feelings by changing their behavior as they do not have the words or emotional vocabulary to express how they feel.
Possible Symptoms in Children Exposed to Domestic Violence:
Sleeplessness, fears of going to sleep, nightmares, dreams of danger
Physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches
Fighting with others, hurting other children or animals
Temper tantrums or defiant behavior
Fears of being separated from the non-abusing parent
Taking on adult or parental responsibilities
Bed-wetting or regression to earlier developmental stages
Identifying with or mirroring behaviors of the abuser
Hyper-vigilance to danger or being hurt
Listlessness, depression or decreased energy levels
Feeling that his or her best is not good enough
Excessive worrying
Suicide attempts or engaging in dangerous behavior
Poor school performance
Children who live with domestic violence face numerous risks, such as the risk of exposure to traumatic events, the risk of neglect, the risk of being directly abused and the risk of losing one or both of their parents. Allof these can lead to negative outcomes for children and clearly have an impact on them. NOA’s Children’s Services can help.
Inter-agency Staff Trainings are conducted by the children's advocate on topics such as: The Effects of Trauma on Children and How to Communicate with Child Survivors of Trauma. For more information or to schedule a training, please call 706-867-6420, extension2.
