DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND IT’S SILENT WITNESSES FACT SHEET

 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND IT’S SILENT  WITNESSES
FACT SHEET

 “You know, mom, I can remember more than you think I can.”
                                            –Adult Son of an Abused Mother
▸    Every 15 seconds a woman is beaten by her husband, boyfriend, or live-in partner.

▸    Over 4 million reports of domestic violence against women are filed every year in the United States.

▸    90% of children who live in families where violence occurs have witnessed abuse. These children who see or hear acts of violence; or become more directly involved when the abuser threatens them or uses them to make fun of the other parent.

▸    The psychological effects of witnessing domestic violence can damage a child’s entire life.


▸    Babies born to battered mothers are 4 times more likely to               have a low birth rate, which increases their risk of birth defects and death in the first month of life.

▸    Children under 2 years of age respond to loud noises with increased fear and crying. They are slower to develop speech, and motor skills, and have frequent nightmares.

▸    Children between the ages of 2 and 5 years may begin to act out aggressively or become overly quiet and dependent. These children may also start to blame themselves for the abuse.

▸    By the ages of 6 to 12, children have adopted a way of relating to other people that is modeled after the abuser (aggressive) or modeled after the victim (withdrawn and passive). Some children will try to take on the role of protector and try to stop the violence even though they cannot be responsible for the grown-ups in the family.

▸    Children between the ages of 12 and 18 often develop even more severe emotional problems. Children who witness ongoing family violence are highly likely to; run away from home, use drugs and alcohol, commit suicide, and become pregnant at an early age.

▸    As adults these children are more likely to be abusive with their partners and their children.