New research recently published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry captures how domestic violence can have a lasting impact on those kids who witness it in their homes.
In fact, researchers believe that individuals who simply see one person abuse another may be left with lasting harm not all that different from someone who endured the violence personally Their sleep is affected just as badly as those soldiers who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after returning home from war.
California children who have witnessed domestic violence often struggle to develop trusting relationships with their parents and others. They often feel disdain for the parent who actually committed the violence. They also feel a sense of betrayal since they didn’t care enough to protect them from seeing it. They often question why the parent who was the victim couldn’t stop the violence and struggle with not having had anyone to comfort them.
The researchers even found that women who are subjected to domestic violence while they’re pregnant have a propensity to go into pre-term labor. In other cases, their baby is injured. If either one of these events happens, then the baby may be more prone to stress, something that can cause them as adults to experience inflammation. Children exposed to violence may experience other physiological problems on down the line as well.
It takes a lot of courage for a parent or child who is being abused to stand up and say that they won’t take such treatment anymore. One of the best ways to ensure that you don’t fall victim to your abuser again is to reach out to an attorney who can advise you of how you can protect your family through legal restraining orders.