NCJ Number
205193
Journal
Crime Victims Report Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: March/April 2004 Pages: 3-4
Date Published
March 2004
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This first of a two-part article on the effects of domestic violence on children and the response to it by criminal and civil justice systems presents an overview of the problem and the issues raised by efforts to protect both the battered woman and her children.
Abstract
After reviewing the nature and prevalence of intimate partner violence, the article considers the effects of domestic violence on children. It notes that in the last 5 to 10 years, a growing body of research has examined the effects of domestic violence on children and revealed the interrelationship between domestic violence and child abuse. Among the findings are that 30-60 percent of families in which either child physical abuse or woman battering occurs, the other form of violence is also present. Further, battered women are at least twice as likely to abuse their children physically as are nonabused women. Each child adapts to and accommodates the experience of domestic violence differently, depending on the child's mental health, stability of the home, personal safety, and longevity and severity of the abuse. Children from violent homes are at higher risk of truancy and school drop-out, emotional distress, guilt, health problems, and delinquency, along with significant long-term effects such as posttraumatic stress disorder and drug and alcohol abuse. Traditionally, the institutions charged with responding to domestic violence and child abuse have been the criminal justice system and child protective services, respectively; and they have acted largely independent of one another within the parameters of their traditional responsibilities. To facilitate safe separation from the batterer, a coordinated response to battered women and their child is essential. This coordination can help to heal the wounds inflicted by abuse, marshal resources and services to monitor the batterer when he is reunited with his family, and create an environment for prevention. The second part of this article will recommend some investigative and prosecutorial techniques for intervention and highlight some promising practices.