Social Work Presentation: Domestic Violence's Impact on Families

This presentation examines the profound effects of domestic violence on children, youth, and families. It begins with a definition of domestic violence and explores its cyclical nature, emphasizing the physical, psychological, and emotional abuse involved. The presentation highlights the key issues, including the trauma, anxiety, and depression experienced by children in violent households. It discusses the impacts on children's development, their safety, and their ability to form attachments, as well as the effects on family dynamics, such as drug and alcohol use and conflict. The presentation also explores approaches to addressing the problem, focusing on awareness, support, and providing safe environments, including the importance of social services and policy interventions to help victims become independent. The conclusion underscores the need for protection and care for victims, particularly children and teenagers, and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging domestic violence as a highly reported crime.

Domestic
Violence
Effect on Children, Youth and
Families

Introduction
 Violence can be inflicted on anyone from any gender,
race, age or sexual orientation.
 Sometimes the victims are children and young adults
which leave great impact on their perception and
attitude towards their reality.
 It is very essential to understand about the effect
domestic violence cause in a domestic setting and on
children and youth.
 This has also been the prime reason behind trauma,
breaking of families and suicides of children and
teenagers.

Violence happening in a domestic setting
is what we refer to as Domestic Violence.
There can be numerous ways to control
another person, such as physically,
psychologically or sexually.
Definition

Domestic Violence in a Cycle of
Practices
(Source: Helpguide.org., 2019)

Topic Discussion: Violence as a
Social Issue
 The perpetrator tends to threat, insult, abuse
the victim emotionally, physically or sexually.
 These treatments make the victims become
more depressed and anxious.
 As a result, these victims become immensely
vulnerable.
 The society is producing children and youth
who are constantly living with fear and
questing their self worth

Domestic Violence and its Effects on
Children
 Children who grow up in environment which
is dominated by fear and abuse tend to
become more anxious and depressed.
 They are more prone to get traumatized.
 Children are more likely to get physically
injured when they are direct victims of such
situations (Callaghan et al., 2018).

Key Issues and their Impacts
 When Children or teenagers are exposed to
violent practices in the household for great
length of time they are impacted seriously.
 These often lead to trauma and isolation due
to which they are unable to accept reality
and respond to situations properly (Guedes
et al., 2016).
 They feel helpless due to which they often
become suicidal.

Safety for Children
 It is very important for children to grow in
safe, secure and positive environments.
 Children tend to be intimidated by such
episodes and intervene to stop or defend
other members of the family (Katz, 2015).
 These leave lasting impression on them due
to which they fear attachment and
association.

Effect on Families
 Less attachment towards other members of
the family.
 Use of drugs and alcohol.
 Regular conflict in the household leading to
fragmentation in familial ties.
 Absence of security for children at home.

Approaches to the Problem
 The primary objective should be to help them is
by reaching out and by creating awareness.
 They should be made to feel about the positivity
to overcome fear and helplessness.
 It is important to engage them in activities to
bring them out of their trauma alongside
opportunities to become financially independent
(facs.nsw.gov.au., 2019).

Approaches to the Problem
 The victims require shelter and security
when they live under extreme circumstances
of violence and abuse which social services
must provide to the distressed.
 There can be different policies for the
victims which will allow them be
independent.

Conclusion
 It can be concluded by saying that the number
of victims who are women, children and
teenagers are generally more because of the
power dynamics which exist in the society.
 The distressed victims who are children and
teenagers should be given protection and care.
 There can be services which can help the
victims to be stable in life.
 Therefore, these aspects should be
acknowledged as domestic violence is a highly
reported crime.

References
 helpguide.org. (2019). Retrieved 10 September 2019, from
https://www.helpguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/cycle-
of-violence-300.jpg
 Callaghan, J. E., Alexander, J. H., Sixsmith, J., & Fellin, L. C.
(2018). Beyond “witnessing”: Children’s experiences of
coercive control in domestic violence and abuse. Journal of
interpersonal violence, 33(10), 1551-1581.
 Katz, E. (2015). Domestic violence, children's agency and
mother–child relationships: Towards a more advanced model.
Children & Society, 29(1), 69-79. Guedes, A., Bott, S., Garcia-
Moreno, C., & Colombini, M. (2016). Bridging the gaps: a global
review of intersections of violence against women and violence
against children. Global health action, 9(1), 31516.
 facs.nsw.gov.au. (2019). The effects of domestic and family
violence on children and young people. Retrieved 10
September 2019, from
https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/domestic-violence/about/effects-of-
dv-on-children