Children & Domestic Violence

Domestic violence can affect the way children think and feel in relation to themselves, their families and their life.
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Cunningham, A. and Baker, L. (2007). Little eyes, little ears: How violence against a mother shapes children as they grow, Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System (London Family Court Clinic, Inc.), p.1.

Effects of Domestic Violence on Children

Every child is different and children from the same family can be affected differently.
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Infants and toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children and adolescents will react differently. How children think about and react to their experiences changes as they grow and develop.

For more information on the effects of domestic violence on children by age, check Potential Effects of Domestic Violence on Children.

Cunningham, A. and Baker, L. (2007). Little eyes, little ears: How violence against a mother shapes children as they grow, Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System (London Family Court Clinic, Inc.), p.1.

What Might Children Learn from Living with Domestic Violence?

Children living with domestic violence are not able to grow up in a healthy and secure environment. They may be mistreated themselves and may possibly be in danger of harm during the violence. 
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Children living with domestic violence might learn that:

• You can get what you want through violence.
• You can either act as the aggressor or the victim.
• Victims are responsible for the violence.
• Loved ones can hurt you.
• You can expect relationships to be unequal and unhealthy.
• Women are not entitled to be treated with respect.

Baker, L. and Cunningham, A. (2005). Learning to listen learning to help: Understanding woman abuse and its effect on children. Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System (London Family Court Clinic Inc.), p. 16-17.

What Might Children Learn from Living in a Positive Home Environment?

Children benefit and learn from living in a positive home environment.

Parents can model and teach non-violent problem solving attitudes and behaviour to their children.

Through positive parenting children learn how to behave in ways that are socially acceptable without using methods that are physically or emotionally hurtful.

Parenting children in positive ways helps children grow into healthy, capable and caring people.

For more information, check Positive Parenting section of this website.

For mothers who are parenting children who have been exposed to domestic violence, see Information Pamphlet for Mothers Who Have Left Abusive Relationships with Ten Top Parenting Tips at  www.lfcc.on.ca 

Information and Help Resources

If you are in need of assistance because you are in an abusive situation, please check Where to Go for Help in Waterloo Region for contact information of local programs and services that can help.

For further Information on children exposed to domestic violence from the Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System (London Family Court Clinic Inc.) read here.

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge and thank the Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System (London Family Court Clinic Inc.) for their assistance in the preparation of and permission to use information from their publications regarding children exposed to domestic violence for this website information.