Domestic Abuse Shatters Lives campaign
The focus of this year’s Domestic Abuse Awareness Week in Devon (24-28 Nov) is the impact of domestic abuse on children and families.
The poignant message for this year’s campaign, ‘Domestic Abuse Shatters Lives’, highlights the impact of abuse on victims as well as highlighting the impact on others surrounding that victim, including children and young people.
One in four women and one in six men experiencing domestic abuse at some point in their lives, and an estimated 750,000 children witness domestic abuse within their home in the UK each year.
Children witness domestic abuse in a number of ways; if they aren’t in the same room whilst the abuse is happening, they hear it take place in the next room or see bruising or scarring on a parent or carer. In some cases, children have been forced to watch abuse and even encouraged to join in with emotional abuse.
Even if children are not the target of abuse, they can suffer serious psychological damage as a result of witnessing such behaviour within their own home. Being around abusive relationships can be detrimental to a child’s early development. They may think violent or abusive behaviour is normal and behave in a similar way towards class mates, friends or siblings and they could have difficultly forming safe and healthy relationships later on in life.
Children who witness abuse may:
have problems with forming attachments with others
have low self esteem
have eating issues
be unable to manage feelings and emotions
become isolated and anti-social
be overprotective of parent
Children may have limited social skills, express violent or angry behaviour and become depressed and anxious. Some research has also found that witnessing domestic abuse is the single most defined predicator of children becoming either perpetrators or victims themselves later in life, and in over 50% of known domestic violence cases, children were also directly abused.
Parents or carers naturally try to shield their children from harm or upset, but with abusive relationships, that often becomes increasingly hard to do. In some cases, victims may remain in the relationship in order to protect their children, believing that if they try to leave, more harm will come to the children.
Steve Brown, Assistant Director of Devon Public Health said: “Domestic abuse has a huge impact on our society. In Devon alone, four people have died as a result of domestic abuse in just four years, and many, many more are affected by it each day.
“Children are often silent victims of domestic abuse. If they are not directly abused themselves, we might assume that they are not affected. Unfortunately, we know this is not true, and we have a responsibility to consider not only the victims of abuse but also the children or young people that are affected. It is our responsibility to see the signs and to offer victims and their families the help and support they need.”
As part of the campaign, posters will be appearing in workplaces around the county, explaining the signs of domestic abuse and what can be done to help those affected, and discrete ‘Z-Cards’ are being distributed, giving practical advice and information for those affected.
Local agencies across Devon will be holding events throughout the week and in the run up to Christmas in order to raise awareness and promote local services. Events include open days, drop in sessions and awareness raising marches.
The campaign is led by the Devon Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Alliance (DSVA) alongside Devon and Cornwall Police and domestic abuse and public health agencies and organisations.
For more information on the campaign visit the website or follow the Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Alliance on Twitter @DSVADevon. Join the campaign conversation on Twitter using #shatterslives.
For help and support with domestic abuse contact Devon Domestic Abuse Support Services on 0345 155 1074.
