The Children are not Okay: Impact of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is pervasive in our communities with 1 in 4 females experiencing abuse at the hands of a partner during her lifetime.  Children are not immune or shielded from the violence.  Not only do millions of children witness the abuse of their mother, but many experience child abuse themselves.  This session will discuss the prevalence of DV, the intersection of DV and Child maltreatment and how these behaviors permeate the day to day climate of the home which leads to the cycle of abuse being handed down from generation to generation.  Identification of harm will be discussed as well as strategies to support the mother and the children.  Skill building and increasing resiliency will be presented.

Objectives:

• Understand the links between domestic violence and child maltreatment

• Identify behaviors that may result from witnessing violence in home

• Learn strategies and tools to support families impacted by domestic violence