Top Implications of Domestic Violence
With the hustle and bustle of the American way of life, I have often heard people say they wished they had more time to spend at home with their families and loved ones. In March of 2020 those people got their wish to the extreme as our country was backhanded with a wave of COVID 19. Businesses were forced to close and most people were ordered to stay at home to avoid further spreading the virus. Households were essentially forced to spend time together, and while this may have seemed in one way like an opportunity to bond, in some instances, the closed quarters and many frustrations that came with quarantining led to cabin fever, anger, and domestic violence.
Since March of 2020, we have seen that incidents related to domestic violence aren’t slowing down. Instead, they are on the rise. No act of domestic violence is justified, nor should COVID 19 be used as a blanket excuse to condone such behavior in our homes. Domestic violence doesn’t only harm its victims physically, but it has a lasting impact that over time can be damaging to the victim as a whole if not appropriately treated. The major aim of this post is to reveal some of the most noteworthy effects.
Low self-esteem
This is probably one of the most notable effects of domestic violence on children. Numerous studies have shown children who fall victim to or who witness acts of domestic violence in their homes carry low self-esteem and lack the confidence needed to perform to the best of their abilities. The same can also be said of a wife who suffers from Battered Wife Syndrome, a form of post-traumatic stress disorder where a woman may develop a learned helplessness that causes her to believe she deserves to be abused. Domestic violence has always been known to leave emotional scars. If left untreated, such scars can affect many aspects of the victim’s life, including relationships, professional and personal goals, and overall sense of self-worth.
Depression
Depression can be another side effect of domestic violence. In such instances, the victim may experience feelings of hopelessness, sadness, irritation, tiredness and/or sleep disorders, loss of interest/lack of pleasure, loss of appetite, and even feelings of worthlessness or thoughts of suicide. It is important to note that domestic violence need not only be the act of physical abuse, but it also is now commonly defined broadly to include all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that may be committed by a family member or intimate partner. Given the range of possible abusive acts, it is not surprising to find depression a common side effect.
If you or someone you know is suffering from depression as a result of domestic violence, it is important to seek help in improving mental health. If left untreated, depression can cripple the victim’s lifestyle, causing their sense of self and mental well being to deteriorate over time.
Aggression
Unfortunately, observed behavior can be passed down, particularly in children. In some instances, the aggressor who commits the act of domestic violence does so because in their mind, there is no other way to express their feelings of aggression. Violence is all they know as their outlets are limited. For example, a man comes home from work after receiving bad news. The man is upset and angry. His wife has done nothing wrong, but the anger is physically taken out on her, which in turn relieves the man’s feelings of anger and aggression. This is NEVER okay.
Sadly, children who witness acts of domestic violence inflicted by their parents have in some cases adopted this behavior, and are the most affected in this regard as they can believe violent behavior is normal. This is particularly true when the parents (especially mothers) are being physically abused in various ways on regular basis.
What’s The Point?
Hopefully this article has provided a basic sense of how domestic violence can affect not only its victims, but those who witness it as well. Having this knowledge, it is important to always consider how our actions impact those around us, both in the long and short term. If you are a victim of domestic violence, you may not even realize how your life has been shaped by its scars. It can’t hurt you to seek help. Once you’ve hit the bottom, the only place you can go is up.
