Domestic Violence Site : Family Violence

The National Institute of Justice found that family violence often creates a lifelong pattern of similar violence. In 2001, NIJ reported: "General delinquency research shows that childhood abuse (physical and sexual) is often associated with delinquency and that the early onset of maltreatment may increase the variety, seriousness and duration of problems. It is also widely suggested that violence begets violence; that today's abused children will become tomorrow's violent offenders." To stop the cycle, adults must seek help for themselves and their young impressionable ones.

Each year, more than 1,460 children die of neglect or child abuse in America. Nearly half of these murders occur before the child is one year old and 75% occur before age four. The most common type of harm is neglect, which accounts for nearly half of the deaths. The second most common type is multiple maltreatments, which includes hitting, shaking or intentionally hurting the child again and again over time. As a result of these abuses, many children grow up to become aggressors themselves. For instance, 37% of female inmates and 14% of male inmates were victims of childhood violence. Abused children are also 3.8 times more likely to become alcohol or substance abusers and a third of the victims go on to hurt their own children.

There are many types of family violence that targets children. For instance, physical violence can range from cuts and bruises to fractures or death. Whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child or not is extraneous; it is still a crime. Sexual violence includes inappropriate touching, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure or exploitation. Emotional abuse can impair a child's development, thought processes and self-esteem. Sometimes, parents may make constant criticism, threaten the child or withhold love. By law, substance abuse, either using in their presence or purchasing for them, is another way of abusing a child.

The effects of child victimization are rather serious. A 2001 National Institute of Justice study found that "being abused or neglected as a child increased the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 59 percent, as an adult by 28 percent, and for a violent crime by 30 percent." They also found that children who grew up in homes with family violence tended to become violent themselves, often abusing their own children. Many of the victims also suffered from obstacles like attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, mental health problems, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, lack of social skills and difficulty forming normal relationships. However, with proper counseling and therapy, these children can still lead a normal life, if their needs are taken care of immediately following separation.

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Today's Tip On Domestic Violence

Do you feel trapped by a pattern of victimization? Perhaps you were molested as a child by someone you knew, an event you'd rather forget. Later, in college, you were taken advantage of by your date when you passed out in a drunken stupor. Now, you're in a relationship where your partner calls you names, phones you constantly at work and gets irrationally angry all the time. There are many resources for victims of domestic violence in America. While it may seem like a personal matter, it's moreover a matter of your personal safety. Every year, there are more than one million violent acts against women and 30% of all female murders are committed by lovers or former lovers.