Does domestic abuse affect children?.

Domestic abuse unfortunately does affect children; just because they are not directly targeted by the perpetrator does not mean they are not impacted by what is happening at home. In fact, domestic abuse is the most frequently reported form of trauma that children experience, and it is estimated that 1 in 7 children witness domestic abuse at home in the UK.

For a child, living in a home where domestic abuse is taking place increases the risk of disrupted social development. It can affect how they interact with friends, with teachers and affect their school life in terms of academic achievement too.

We have seen many examples of perpetrators using children as a means of further abusing their partner. For example, the abuser might tell the children that their mother is a bad mother, is “crazy” or can’t look after them properly in order to manipulate and control the mother.