“Domestic Violence is the single, major precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in the U.S.” A Nation’s Shame, April 1995. U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse & Neglect.

There is a strong correlation between domestic abuse and child abuse. The children of battered women are physically abused and neglected as much as 15 times higher than the national average. (American Humane Association, 1994) One study found that between 50% and 70% of the men who batter their partners also abuse their children (Pagelow, 1989). Professionals need to be aware of the link between domestic abuse and child abuse in order to offer protection to all individuals who are being hurt, and they must routinely screen for both types of abuse.

There are four types of child abuse. Domestic violence between adult partners in the family may have specific implications in these destructive dynamics:

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse of a child can include any of the same types of abuse inflicted against the mother; slapping, punching, kicking, throwing, burning, biting, use of weapons or other objects. It also includes exposing the child to dangerous activities such as drunk driving. Children may also be injured when an assault on their mother occurs. They may be in their mother’s arms or simply in the way of the abuser, or they may be trying to rescue their mother. Sometimes children may also experience violence upon the non-abusive parent’s separation from the abuser.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse includes name-calling, put-downs, and belittling, shaming, withholding affection, invasion of privacy. One of the most severe forms of this type of abuse is exposure to the violence against the mother. Children have witnessed their mothers being beaten, restrained, emotionally abuse, degraded, and raped. The risk of child abduction upon separation of the parents is great. Over half of the child adductions that occur in this country involve a history of domestic violence. (Greif and Heger, 1992)

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is any unwanted fondling or penetration of a boy opening with an object, finger, or penis. It includes covert sexual “games,” exposure of private parts, inappropriate physical affection. The abuser may threaten to harm the child if they reveal the abuse. Girls in homes where domestic violence occurs are six and one half times more likely than girls in non-abusive families to be sexually abused. (Bowker, Arbitel, McFerron, 1998)

Neglect
Neglect is the failure or unwillingness to meet the basic needs of children for food, safe shelter, education, health care, supervision, and emotional nurturing.

A Child's Own Safety Plan
Go here for a page where children can enter important personal information that they can print out and refer to in a crisis.