Consequences of domestic violence on women
Being subjected to violence means living in a state of hyper-vigilance 24 hours a day. Remaining in this state leaves emotional, physical and psychological scars.
A victim of domestic violence can, for example:
- Low self-esteem, difficulty asserting oneself, doubts about one’s perceptions;
- See your tolerance threshold for violence rise;
- Insomnia, nightmares, flashbacks;
- Anxious, distressed, hyperventilating, panic attacks;
- Loss of appetite or bulimia, digestive problems, headaches, migraines, low energy;
- Confusion, ambivalence, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, difficulty expressing oneself;
- Feeling guilty, sad, powerless, distrustful, humiliated;
- Isolation, fear, substance abuse (drugs, alcohol, medication), job loss;
- Be depressed, have suicidal thoughts or attempt suicide;
- etc.
Consequences of domestic violence on children
Domestic violence is not without consequences in the lives of children. Whether witness or victim, physical, verbal or psychological violence always leaves its mark. Researchers say that these children “are as affected as if they were abused themselves because exposure to domestic violence is in itself emotional abuse of the child.”[1]
Children’s exposure to domestic violence can affect many areas of their lives, jeopardizing their development and well-being.
It’s important to remember that every child is unique, and that the consequences of exposure to domestic violence differ from one young person to the next.
Physical consequences
Allergies, asthma, stomach aches, headaches, bedwetting, nightmares, eczema, appetite problems, loss of sleep, speech difficulties, etc.
Psychological consequences
- Cognitive:
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- Language learning problems,
- Difficulty concentrating,
- Decreased or increased school performance, truancy,
- School phobias;
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- Emotional:
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- Regressive behaviors;
- Depression, anxiety, irritability and low self-esteem;
- Feelings of terror, fear of death, fear of losing a parent, rage, guilt, confusion, hopelessness and helplessness, anger;
- Perception of the world as unpredictable, hostile and threatening;
- Shyness;
- Tendency to isolate;
- Ambivalent feelings;
- etc.
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Behavioral consequences
- Tendency to cling to adults;
- Aggressive behaviour, hyperactivity and impulsivity;
- Violent reactions to conflicts with peers, siblings and teachers;
- Seductive, manipulative and oppositional behaviors in their relationships with others;
- Tendency to lie, disobey, cheat, destroy objects or be cruel;
- Stuttering;
- etc.
Social consequences
- Difficulty establishing meaningful interpersonal relationships, whether with teachers, family members or peers;
- Tendency to isolate themselves, refusing to open up about their experiences or to bring friends home;
- etc.
Academic consequences
- Poor performance at school due to attention, concentration and memory problems; frequent absences, low involvement in extracurricular activities;
- etc.
Adolescence
- Delinquent, violent and antisocial behavior;
- Criminal acts (e.g. assault, rape or murder);
- Truancy, dropping out of school, drug or alcohol abuse, running away from home;
- Suicide attempts,
- etc.[2]
[1]Lessard, G. and Paradis, F. (2003). Children exposed to domestic violence and protective factors. Literature reviewInstitut national de santé publique du Québec, p. 9 and 10 [2] Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur la Violence Familiale et la Violence faite aux Femmes (2014), Children Exploded by Domestic Violence, Consequence, <http://www.enfants-exposes.criviff.qc.ca/consequences>