How To Protect Children From Domestic Violence
When we hear of domestic violence, we tend to believe that it's about spouses or adults.
That's at least the most spoken of in our society. Little do we consider that children at home could be also direct victims of abuse and/or violence.
Any form of abuse towards kids at home is domestic violence. They are most vulnerable and can rarely have a way out, let alone understanding why those who are meant to love them and protect them are hurting them.
It can have a toll on their mental, physical, and psychological health. them. It can severely affect their present and their future.
Protecting children in our society from harm is crucial. It's everyone's responsibility. This is how you can do your part:
#1 Understand what domestic violence is
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Domestic violence is physical abuse, harassment, sexual abuse, verbal insults, threats, mind games, humiliation, excessive criticism, implementing fear, intimidation, or interference with personal liberty by a certain perpetrator.
A child may be experiencing one or several kinds of abuse:
Physical abuse : any action that results in physical pain and injury, marks or scars
Sexual abuse : sexual interaction with and overpowering of a minor
Emotional abuse : any type of emotional maltreatment:
humiliating or constantly criticizing a child, threatening, and shouting at a child,
making the child the subject of jokes, or using sarcasm to hurt a child,
blaming and scapegoating,
not recognizing a child's own individuality, pushing a child too hard or not,
persistently ignoring them, being absent,
never saying anything kind, expressing positive feelings or congratulating a child on successes,
never showing any emotions in interactions with a child, also known as emotional neglect.
Similarly, children who witness domestic violence are victims of emotional abuse. Children who have been emotionally abused may face severe and long-term psychological consequences.
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Psychological abuse / maltreatment :
Demeaning the child, caregiver-inflicted bullying, terrorizing, coercive control, severe insults, debasement, threats,
overwhelming demands, shunning and/or isolation,
manipulating a child,
making the child do degrading acts
calling the child degrading names,
making the child feel unwanted.
Neglect: when a child isn't being taken care of properly and provided with the basics: food, housing, clothes, affection, medical care, supervision, emotional support, attention...
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