This week we are asked to focus on stressors that affect children’s biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development. I chose domestic violence as the stressor.
Here are a few facts:
- Nearly 25% of women will be exposed to domestic violence
- 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually
- Domestic violence is a risk factor for lifelong problems
- Both men and women can be victims of domestic violence
According to the experts stress is disruptive to brain development (National Scientific Council on The Developing Child, 2005). High levels of stress, or toxic stress- a condition where the child is routinely exposed to negative emotions, can disrupt the brain’s architecture (National Scientific Council on The Developing Child, 2005). This stress can be caused by abuse, poverty, witnessing violence from parents, like in the case of domestic violence.
Extreme fear can also impact how children develop socially and emotionally (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010). Young children can learn to be fearful through something called “fear conditioning”( National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010). They learn to be afraid of everything that reminds them of the threat (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010). In occasion the children become unable to differentiate from threat and safety (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010).
I decided to focus on children exposed to domestic violence because of my childhood memories of my parents being abusive to each other. I remember feeling fear and stress from early in my childhood. I want to say that I was lucky that my parents divorced and I was able to develop normally, but I cannot. I know until this day my reaction to fighting and shouting is abnormal, and I shy away from confrontation. I also ended up in an abusive marriage after high school. I left that marriage shortly after but it was not easy to regain trust in my abilities. I went to four years of therapy to overcome this part of my life. I hope that entering the early childhood field I will be able to empower others to recognize signs of distress in young children. Sometimes it takes another adult outside of the abuse to tell a loving parent “if you are not okay, your child suffers too. Take care of yourself. Get out of the abuse and save your kids!”
Thanks for reading!
Yours Truly,
Angie
A few online resources:
Safe Horizon
Safe Horizon’s Domestic Violence Hotline:
800.621.HOPE (4673)
Safe Horizon’s Crime Victims Hotline:
866.689.HELP (4357)
Safe Horizon’s Rape, Sexual Assault & Incest Hotline:
212.227.3000
TDD phone number for all hotlines:
866.604.5350
800.621.HOPE (4673)
Safe Horizon’s Crime Victims Hotline:
866.689.HELP (4357)
Safe Horizon’s Rape, Sexual Assault & Incest Hotline:
212.227.3000
TDD phone number for all hotlines:
866.604.5350
Helpguide.org
The Children’s Aid Society
References
Domestic Violence Resource Center (2012). Domestic violence statistics [Website]. Retrieved from http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/.
Domestic Violence Statistics (2012). Domestic violence statistics [Website]. Retrieved from http://domesticviolencestatistics.org/domestic-violence-statistics/
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2010). Persistent Fear and Anxiety Can Affect Young Children’s Learning and Development: Working Paper No. 9. http://www.developingchild.net
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2005). Excessive Stress Disrupts the Architecture of the Developing Brain: Working Paper #3. http://www.developingchild.net
Thank you for sharing. Abuse is never easy to deal with. I as well was in a abusive (not physical) marriage. However, when it is emotional abuse you don't see it until something happens. I thank the Lord everyday for letting me get pregnant and seeing the light to get away from that man.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy people can survive and overcome abuse!
DeleteAlot of the times adults do not realize how domestic violence may affect the child or children in the home. Thanks for sharing your imput and its importance.
ReplyDeleteShereva,
DeleteThat is very true too!
Angie,
ReplyDeleteDomestic violence is awful. I can remember a neighboring family that would fight all the time. The father would slap the mom and the children around. Their two children reacted in both very different ways. One child buried herself in her studies and was never confident. She was very “book” smart but doesn’t have any life sense. The other child became a drug addict and prostitute. I think she wanted to feel needed and loved. She often told us that her mom was a fool for staying with her dad. She calls her mom “Miss Celia” (from the “Color Purple”) and her Dad “Mister.” These people, now adults still need counseling because they are verbally and physically abusive to each other. Thank God you were delivered from your situation.
Thanks Yolonda for your kind words :)
DeleteAngie- Thank you for sharing your story. I am so glad to hear that you were able to get out of that environment. The organization that I work for has a Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Center. The center has seen a significant increase over the past few years in sexual assaults, domestic abuse and sexual abuse in our community. Until I read the statistics I never realized how much abuse actually occurs on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the U.S. Department of Justice (1998), "3/4 of women that reported that they were victimized during their adult years were abused by their current or former significant other"
Resources:
U.S. Department of Justice. (1998). Prevalence incidence, and consequences of violence against women: Findings from the National violence against women survey.
Thanks for sharing your story. It is wonderful that you were able to get walk away from your abusive marriage versus being carried away. Abuse is a serious topic and it is difficult at times to get out of that particular situation. Its good that you survived.
ReplyDelete