Immediate impact of domestic abuse on children and young people
Domestic abuse has wide ranging effects on the physical and emotional wellbeing of children and young people, including:
- Distress caused by witnessing (seeing or hearing) the physical and emotional suffering of a parent.
- Children may be pressurised into concealing assaults, and experience the fear and anxiety of living in an environment where abuse occurs.
- Children may be drawn into the abuse of a parent, or may themselves become victims of physical abuse and experience injury and serious harm.