What is domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse is the use of power and control in an intimate or family relationship. It can take many forms including:
- Physical violence (e.g. slapping, pushing, kicking, punching)
- Psychological or emotional abuse (e.g. verbal abuse and humiliation)
- Financial control (e.g. withholding money, making all of the financial decisions)
- Use of coercion or threats (e.g. not allowing friends to visit, restricting of phone calls)
Domestic abuse and coercive control is not always physical and the signs may not be obvious. Domestic violence can involve controlling a person’s contact with their friends and family (isolating them), destroying property, verbal threats in private or public, etc.
If you are suffering any of these, support is available to help you. You will be taken seriously and not judged because of your circumstances.
Isle of Man Constabulary - Domestic Abuse
How does domestic abuse affect children?
All children witnessing domestic abuse are experiencing emotional abuse.
Children will react in different ways to being brought up in a home where there is violence, and things such as age, gender, culture and personality will all play a part on how they're affected.
They may feel they are to blame, may feel angry, guilty, insecure, alone, frightened, powerless, or confused. They may have mixed feelings, both towards the abuser, and towards the non-abusing parent.
Abuse and control can interfere with your child/ren's lives in other ways. They may feel unable to invite friends round (or may be prevented from doing so) out of shame, fear, or concern about what their friends may see.
They may feel guilty, and think the violence is their fault, or that they ought to be able to stop it in some way.
Worry, disturbed sleep and lack of concentration can all affect schoolwork. If you're worried about your child, there is help available.
Domestic abuse also teaches children negative things about relationships and how to deal with people. For instance:
- It can teach them that violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflict
- They learn how to keep secrets
- They learn to mistrust those close to them and that children are responsible and to blame for violence, especially if violence erupts after an argument about them
- It can impact negatively on the intimate relationships they develop in early and later life
Children are affected in many ways by abuse, even after a short time. These effects include: feeling frightened, becoming withdrawn, bedwetting, running away, aggressiveness, behavioural difficulties, problems with school, poor concentration and emotional turmoil.
The longer children are exposed to abuse, the more severe the effects on them are.
The following organisations can offer further information or support if you are worried about your own relationship, your children or someone you know. These can be accessed by following the links below and include:
How to Protect Children From Domestic Abuse | NSPCC
Domestic abuse - Family Rights Group (frg.org.uk)
How can I help my children? - Womens Aid
What about my children? - Refuge Charity - Domestic Violence Help