THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH OF A CHILD: THE WAY FORWARD
Children are particularly vulnerable in the society. They are exposed to emotional, mental and social damage that can affect their psychological wellbeing. However, many children exposed to violence in their homes are also victims of physical abuse. They are at serious risk for long-term physical and mental health problems. Exposure to domestic violence at a tender age can harm a child’s psychological development which can affect the child’s performance in school, have difficulty in school, act aggressively, bully their classmates, abuse drugs or alcohol, suffer from depression or even engage in criminal behavior. They may also be at greater risk of being violent in their future relationship.
The data from the United Nations Secretary-General’s study on violence against children (forthcoming 2006) which reviewed existing studies that measure violence in the home in various countries shows that as many as 275 million children worldwide are exposed to violence in the home, although this data was based on available data that could be gathered as there are some countries with no data at all, and there are even less information on the numbers of children who may be exposed to such violence, but however the data shows a staggering amount of children exposed to violence in the home. Children who live with and are aware of violence at home are mostly helpless as there is little or nothing they can personally do about it thereby exposing them to further challenges and risks that can last throughout their lives. When violence takes place at home, its repercussion resonates outside.
Research also shows that children who are exposed to violence in the home experience so much added emotional stress that it can harm the development of their brains and impair cognitive and sensory growth which can result to behavioral changes and these changes include; excessive irritability, sleep problems, emotional distress, fear of being alone, problems with language development, excessive fear, all these threatens the child’s development. And as such children grow, they may continue to show signs of problem such as losing ability to feel empathy for others, unable to make friends as easily due to social discomfort, distrust over what is acceptable.
Although UNICEF and other NGOs centered on Child Rights Advocacy are doing their best in raising awareness and also working closely with families in a bid to end the violence perpetuated at home which directly affect the child, there is still a long way to go in terms of ending Domestic Violence at home.
However, we can work towards ending domestic violence through public education and raising awareness campaigns on domestic violence by focusing more on the direct impact Domestic Violence has on children and finding specific ways to address this problem. Governments, public institutions and NGOs should intensify efforts in sensitizing the public on the direct impact of violence in the home on the children. Instituting programmes or subjects in schools that teach young children how to avoid violence, this school based programme can help children develop positive attitudes, values and range of skills to avoid violent behavior and reduce aggression.
Child and School Social Workers should work closely with children and constantly assure them they are not alone and the violence is not their fault and to recognize and meet the needs of children exposed to violence in the home, because working closely with them can help reduce the stress of living in a violent home, while helping the child, the child should also learn that domestic violence is wrong.
Government must also create laws and public policies that protect children which reinforces message that Domestic Violence is a crime, and perpetrators would be punished and the victims protected, this will serve as deterrent to prospective perpetrators. Another way Government can end this is by opening a child support center and allocating adequate resources to the center to support children who are exposed to violence in the home and also help integrate them back into the society.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Children of today are leaders of tomorrow…” how do children become leaders of tomorrow when they are psychologically drained from the violence being perpetrated in their homes?
Every child has the right to grow up in a safe and secure environment, violence in the home shatters a child’s basic right to feel safe and secure in the world and it also shatters a child’s dream. Children need the violence to stop, when the violence stops, their world and dream are secured. Let us put an end to the Domestic Violence scourge in the society.
