Lincoln Women's Aid

Children & Domestic Abuse

• A survey of child abuse hospital records in the USA found that 45% of the mothers of abused children were also victims of Domestic abuse (Stark & Flitcraft, 1988).

• In 90% of cases of domestic abuse children are in the same room or the next room. (Hughes 1998) Children make up more than half of residents in refuge. (Scottish Women's Aid

• In 40% - 60% of cases of domestic abuse child abuse is also occurring (Stark & Flitcraft 1998)

• The NCH study found 75% of mothers said their children had witnessed domestic abuse, 33% had seen their mothers beaten up, 10% had witnessed sexual violence (NCH, 1994).

• Children's responses to witnessing domestic abuse vary according to a multitude of factors, including age, race, class, sex, stage of development, role in the family, relationship with parent(s), and the availability of sources of support outside the immediate family situation (Saunders, 1995).

• Children of all ages most often take some form of passive or active support to protect their mothers when witnessing domestic abuse (Hester & Radford, 1996).

• Children of all ages phone the police for assistance and a number of research studies suggest that women often attribute their eventual escape to the emotional and practical support provided by their children (Hoff, 1990).

• Children sometimes feel guilty if they do not come to the aid of their mother. This 'guilt' is often accompanied by self blame and feelings that they have in some way 'caused' their father to be abusive (Saunders, 1995).

• Children may also feel angry towards their mother for not protecting herself or the children, as well as blaming her for causing the abuse. Others may be so concerned about their mother's distress that they keep private their own grief (Saunders, 1995).

• Children of abused women will not necessarily grow up to be abusers or victims of domestic abuse themselves. No conclusive evidence exists to support the 'intergenerational transmission of violence' thesis or to show that there is a 'cycle of violence' (Mullender & Morley, 1994)

More help for Children here