This document discusses domestic violence and its effects on children. It defines domestic violence and outlines the power and control wheel model. Statistics are provided showing that millions of children witness domestic violence each year. Living with domestic violence can negatively impact children's psychological and physical health, development, behavior, and brain development. The effects of domestic violence exposure can last into adulthood and include increased risks of perpetrating or experiencing domestic violence, mental health issues, and criminal behavior. Theories like social learning theory and intergenerational transmission of violence help explain the intergenerational nature of domestic violence. The document discusses implications for social work practice, including the need for education, advocacy, and policy work to address this issue.

1. Presented By:
Thomika Andrews
Caterra Brooms
Yolanda Adams
Tiffany Tolliver
Vonthisha Wiley

2. A 911 Call You’ll Never Forget

3. What is Domestic Violence
• Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual
assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of
power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.

4. Types of Domestic Violence
• physical violence
• sexual violence
• psychological violence
• emotional abuse.

5. Power and Control Wheel
• The Power and Control Wheel is a
tool that helps explain the different
ways an abusive partner can use
power and control to manipulate a
relationship.

6. Statistics of Domestic Violence
• 5 million children witness domestic violence each year in the US
• 40 million adult Americans grew up living with domestic violence
• Children from homes with violence are much more likely to experience
significant psychological problems short- and long-term
• Children who’ve experienced domestic violence often meet the diagnostic
criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) and the effects on their
brain are similarly to those experienced by combat veterans

7. Statistics of Domestic Violence
• 5. Domestic violence in childhood is directly correlated with difficulties
learning, lower IQ scores, deficiencies in visual-motor skills and problems
with attention and memory.
• 6. Living with domestic violence significantly alters a child’s DNA, aging
them prematurely 7-10 years
• 7. Children in homes with violence are physically abused or seriously
neglected at a rate 1500% higher than the national average

8. Statistics of Domestic Violence
• Those who grow up with domestic violence are 6 times more likely to
commit suicide and 50% more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol
• If you grow up with domestic violence, you’re 74% more likely to commit a
violent crime against someone else
• Children of domestic violence are 3 times more likely to repeat the cycle in
adulthood, as growing up with domestic violence is the most significant
predictor of whether or not someone will be engaged in domestic violence
later in life from my iPhone

9. Children affected by the Domestic Violence

11. Children affected by the Domestic Violence
• Prenatal abuse could causes changes in
the mother’s stress response systems,
increasing her levels of the hormone
cortisol, which in turn could increase
cortisol levels in the fetus (Levendosky &
Henion, 2014).

12. Children affected by the Domestic Violence
• Hormone cortisol is a neurotoxic, so it
has damaging effects on the brain
when elevated to excessive levels
(Levendosky & Henion, 2014).

13. Emotional Effects on Infants
Emotion and behavior trauma symptoms
children experience within the first year of life
• Nightmares
• Startling easily
• Being bothered by loud noises/ bright lights
• Avoiding physical contact
• Trouble experiencing enjoyment
(Levendosky & Henion, 2014)

14. Infants affected by Domestic Violence
In the last decade, the effects on children from exposure to an abusive parent
or domestic violence have been well researched and documented. They include:
• Developmental delays
• Excessive separation anxiety
• Sleep disturbances
• Failure to thrive syndrome
• May be caught in “crossfire” resulting in physical injury
(Levendosky & Henion, 2014)

15. School-Age children affected by Domestic
Violence
• Aggression,
• self-destructiveness,
• problems in school
• Headaches, stomach-aches
• insomnia/sleep disturbance
• Depression
• Anxiety
• bed-wetting
• excessive clinging
(Levendosky & Henion, 2014)

16. The Effects of Domestic Violence on
teens
• Parentification: They may feel responsible for siblings and/or the abused parent
• Low self-esteem
• Poor social skills
• Drug and alcohol use/abuse
• Running away from home
• Criminal activity
• Early and risky sexual activity, pregnancy or early marriage

17. Adolescence affected by
the childhood trauma of Domestic Violence

18. • Black et al (2011) found that 22% of women and 15% of men first experienced domestic
violence between 11 and 17 years of age.
• Vagi et al (2015) notes that 21% of adolescent females and 10% of adolescent males
experienced physical and/or sexual dating violence.
• Mustanoja et al (2011) found the following:
adolescents boys were at a higher risk to becoming victims of bullying when they have been
witnesses to interparental violence
adolescents girls were at a higher risk to becoming bully-victims when victims of violent crimes
Statistics about Adolescents

19. •An adolescent’s social, emotional, and cognitive development are influenced by their
family and community. The environment that adolescents are exposed to have potentially
lasting effects on cognitive and behavioral development (Pechtel & Pizzagalli, 2011;
Szyndrowski, 1999).
•There is an increasing body of evidence that documents the association of youth
interpersonal experience and witness of abuse on increasing risk for violence perpetration
in adolescence and adulthood. (Duke, Pettingell & McMorris, 2010)
Adolescent’s Development

20. •poor family relationships
•parental conflict
•early sexual activity (depression &
antisocial behavior)
•residence changes
•bullying
•a positive attitude about violence
(Lepisto, Luukkaala, Pavilainen,2010;
Mustanoja et al,2011)
Adolescents as Witnesses
Adolescents that witness and
experience domestic violence have:

21. Adolescents Coping Strategies
Problem-focused coping strategies
• Focusing on solving the problem
• Seeking relaxing diversions
• Physical recreation
• Working hard
• Focusing on the positive
Adolescents that witnessed domestic
violence coping strategies
• Worrying
• Giving in
• Acting out feelings
• Ignoring the problem
• Self-blame

22. •Adolescents also would use relationships to cope with
living in violent homes(Lepisto et al, 2010; Mustanoj et
al, 2011) .
•Lepisto et al (2010) found that adolescents blame
themselves for the domestic violence in the home.
They may also participate in wishful thinking and use
their behaviors and thoughts to detach themselves
from domestic violence in the home.
Adolescents Coping Strategies

23. Childhood
Domestic Violence
(CDV)

24. What is
Childhood
Domestic
Violence?
CDV is when a person grows up living in a
home with violence between their parents or
violence towards a parent (cdv.org).

25. • Globally, 275 Million children are
impacted
• 1 Billion Globally experience CDV
• More than 15 million children in the
U. S. experience CDV
• More than 40 million adults in the
U. S. were once these children
(cdv.org)
• Approximately 1 in 7 experience
Childhood Domestic Violence
• 5 million children are growing up in
homes with domestic violence each
year in the U. S.
• 1 in 7 adults were raised in homes with
domestic violence
(cdv.org)

26. The impact of CDV?
“CDV impacts people in a number of different ways. One of the most
common is that experiencing Childhood Domestic Violence can negatively wire
a developing brain, encoding a series of negative beliefs - or LIES - which, if
left unchallenged, can last well into adulthood (cdv.org).

27. Those who experience CDV are…
6x More likely to Commit suicide
50% More likely to abuse drugs or alcohol
74% More likely to commit a violent crime
(cdv.org)

28. •Guilty
•Resentful
•Sad
•Alone
•Angry
• Hopeless
• Worthless
• Fearful
• Self-Conscious
• Unloved
(cdv.org)
According to the Childhood Domestic Violence
Association if you experienced CDV, you may falsely
believe you’re

29. “I came to accept the secrets of our house as
normal…I never talked to anyone about them.”
Bill Clinton

30. If you experienced CDV, you most likely also experienced
one or more of the following in your childhood home:
• Physical Child Abuse
• Sexual Abuse
• Emotional Abuse
• Physical Neglect
• Emotional Neglect
• Divorced Parents
• Parental Alcohol or Drug Abuse
• Mentally Ill Parent
• Incarceration of A Parent
(cdv.org)

31. Learning Theory
• Boys Who Witness Domestic Violence In Their Home Are Three
Times More Likely To Become Batterers.
http://stopdv.org/index.php/statistics/
• Domestic violence research has shown that witnessing domestic
violence as a boy is related to men’s perpetration of domestic
violence(McKee & Payne, 2014).
• Many victims of domestic violence come from homes where they
witnessed abuse between their parents (McKee & Payne, 2014).
• Criminologist explain that through the learning theory, boys “learn”
how to be abusers and girls “learn” about victimization (McKee &
Payne, 2014).

32. • Despite the widespread occurrence there is little known about the long-term adult
impact on those who witnessed domestic violence as children in the family home
(O’Brien et al., 2012).
• The more frequent and more severe the child witnessing is, the greater the risk it
would seem for poor adult physical, psychological and social maladjustment (O’Brien
et al., 2012).
• Adult suicide is more likely to be committed two to five times in adults who witness
domestic violence (Dube et al. 2001; O’Brien et al., 2012).

33. Intergenerational
Transmission of Violence
A reported phenomenon link between violent
childhood experiences and violent adult
offenses (Murrel et al., 2007)
A reported phenomenon of individuals maltreated
or exposed to violence as children demonstrate
increased risk of silence perpetration as adults
(Thomsen et al., 2005)

34. Modeling Theory
•A study that examined differences in generality, frequency, and
severity of violent offenses, nonviolent criminal behavior, and
psychopathology battering population of 1,099 adult males varying
in levels of exposure to violence as children, showed that generality,
frequency, and severity of violence and psychopathology all
increased as childhood exposure to violence increased. Supporting
the modeling theory that men who witnessed domestic violence as
children committed the most frequent domestic violence, and men
who were abused as children were more likely to abuse children
(Murrel et al., 2007).

35. The effects on adults who witnessed domestic
violence as children
• Witnessing domestic violence disrupted child-
parent emotional attachments, which affects
children’s abilities throughout their lives in
negative ways. These disrupted attachments
manifest later in adult relationships where
jealousy or fear of detachment from an intimate
partner can lead to increased aggression and
violence (Dutton, 2000; McKee & Payne,
2014).
• The consequences of witnessing also appear to
continue into adulthood, and long-term effects
include depression, trauma, antisocial
behaviors, substance use, general violence, and
partner violence (Downs et al. 1996; Ehrensaft
et al. 2003; Henning et al. 1997; Widom, 1989;
Murrell et al. 2007).

36. Domestic Violence Treatment
• Trauma-focused treatments often include some
form of either cognitive therapy (CT) or
cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)(Warshaw et
al., 2013)
• “Counseling services offered by domestic
violence programs incorporate a variety of
therapeutic approaches (e.g., cognitive-
behavioral, solution-focused, empowerment-
based, art therapy) tailored to the individual
needs and desires of survivors. Some programs
offer individual counseling, some provide
group counseling, and still others offer both
(Howard, Riger, Campbell, & Wasco, 2003)”.

37. • The general intent behind
counseling interventions is to
alleviate the distress that often
accompanies victimization (e.g.,
depression, anxiety, posttraumatic
stress symptoms, guilt, shame) and
to increase survivors’ sense of self
and well-being (Warshaw, 2013).

38. The Duluth Model
Since the early 1980s, Duluth—a small community in northern Minnesota—
has been an innovator of ways to hold batterers accountable and keep victims safe.
The "Duluth Model" is an ever-evolving way of thinking about how a community works
together to end domestic violence.
A community using the Duluth Model approach:
o Has taken the blame off the victim and placed the accountability for abuse on the offender.
o Has shared policies and procedures for holding offenders accountable and keeping victims safe across all agencies in the
criminal and civil justice systems from 911 to the courts.
o Prioritizes the voices and experiences of women who experience battering in the creation of those policies and procedures.
o Believes that battering is a pattern of actions used to intentionally control or dominate an intimate partner and actively works
to change societal conditions that support men’s use of tactics of power and control over women.
o Offers change opportunities for offenders through court-ordered educational groups for batterers.
o Has ongoing discussions between criminal and civil justice agencies, community members and victims to close
gaps and improve the community’s response to battering http://www.theduluthmodel.org/about/index.html
o .

40. LAWS to Combat Domestic Violence
• The Violence Against Women Act and
the Family Violence Prevention and
Services Act are two federal laws that
exist to combat domestic violence in the
United States
(https://www.reference.com/government-
politics/laws-exist-combat-domestic-violence-
united-states-c875f680336332b7)
• Louisiana law contains criminal provisions
that outlaw domestic violence, and civil
provisions that make court-issued
protective orders available to victims of
domestic violence. The crime of domestic
abuse battery carries potential jail time
and fines, and violations of domestic
violence protective orders may be
punished by both civil contempt and
criminal penalties
(http://legis.la.gov/Legis/LawSearch.aspx).

41. What is Domestic Violence Costing YOU?
Health Care Costs- 8.3 billion annually
Cost to business-8 million work days
INTERVENTIONS SAVE DOLLARS:
14.8 billion VAWA
Protective order society saved 85 million a yearly 30.75
Local Family Violence Programs-8 million a year

42. Implications for Social Work Practice
• Social workers must be aware of how these provisions impact
their clients (Fairtlough, 2008).
• Social workers will be called to be advocates in the
implementation of this legislation, particularly as it relates to
health care provisions, same-sex relationships, and immigrant
populations (Keeling & Wormer, 2012)
• Social workers can apply to serve in the role of patient navigators.
Social workers can inform communities of these provisions
(Fairtlough, 2008).

43. Implications Continued
• Social workers can work with local providers, such as head start programs
and colleges/universities, to provide education and awareness (The role of
social workers in responding effectively to domestic abuse, 2015)
• Social workers can work towards addressing the direct and macro level needs
of child witnesses of domestic violence (The role of social workers in
responding effectively to domestic abuse, 2015)

44. Implications Continued
• Social workers can create and
provide feedback on institutional
policies and protocols to
implement new programs
• Social workers can assist with and
provide timely feedback on policy
implementation

45. Things Social Workers Should Know
about Domestic Violence
• Domestic violence is a common crime
• Domestic violence is usually gender-based.
• It’s about power and control, not just conflict or
anger.
• Domestic violence harms children.
• Not all battered women or helpless and weak and
they are not crazy.
• Battered women are often blamed for violence.

46. Things Social workers should know about
the Domestic violence continued
• People with disabilities may be at very high risk or domestic
violence.
• Economic Matters.
• Batterers are not all alcoholics.
• Social change must be a key component.
• Federal and State Laws that addresses Domestic Violence

47. Further Research Needed
Shelter for battered women with disabilities are often screened as
inappropriate for shelter services, and the domestic violence community has
not done a good job of serving these clients.
Although it is generally accepted that many more women than men are
victims of domestic violence, it is not clear how many men with disabilities
may be victimized. Since men with disabilities may be as vulnerable and
dependent as are women with disabilities, they also experience a high level of
risk for intimate abuse.

48. Implications Continued
• Our voices…the social work presence is so
important to furthering the impact of the
information of Domestic Violence and its
effects on children as well as the legislation we
discussed today
• Make your voices heard and get involved

49. References
•Ballard, E. D., Van Eck, K., Musci, R. J., Hart, S. R., Storr, C. L., Breslau, N., & Wilcox, H. C. (2015). Latent
classes of childhood trauma exposure predict the development of behavioral health outcomes in adolescence
and young adulthood. Psychological Medicine, 45(15), 3305-3316.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291715001300
•Black M., Basile K., Breiding M., Smith S., Walters M., Merrick M., Chen J., Stevens M. (2011). The
National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report. Atlanta, GA:
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
•Duke N, Pettingell S, McMorris B, et al. (2010) .: Adolescent violence perpetration: Associations with
multiple types of adverse childhood experiences. Pediatrics 2010; 125(4):778–786
•Fairtlough, A. (2008). Social Work with Children Affected by Domestic Violence. Journal of Emotional
Abuse, 6(1), 25-47.

50. References
• Keeling, J., & Wormer, K. v. (2012). The British Journal of Social Work. Social Worker Interventions in Situations
of Domestic Violence: What We Can Learn from Survivors' Personal Narratives?, 42(7), 1354-1370.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcr137
• Levendosky, A., & Henion, A. (2014, 12 26). DOMESTIC ABUSE MAY AFFECT CHILDREN IN WOMB.
MSUToday. Retrieved from http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/domestic-abuse-may-affect-children-in-womb/
• Lepist, S., Åstedt-Kurki, P., Joronen, K., Luukkaala, T., & Paavilainen, E. (2010). Adolescents’ experiences of
coping with domestic violence. Journal Of Advanced Nursing, 66(6), 1232-1245. doi:10.1111/j.1365-
2648.201.05289.x
• Lepistö, S., Luukkaala, T., & Paavilainen, E. (2011). Witnessing and experiencing domestic violence: a descriptive
study of adolescents. Scandinavian Journal Of Caring Sciences, 25(1), 70-80. doi:10.1111/j.1471-
6712.200.00792.x
• McKee, J. R. & Payne, B. K. (2014). Witnessing domestic violence as a child adulthood emotionality: Do adults
“feel” the consequence of exposure to partner abuse later in the life course? Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment
& Trauma, 23, 318-331.
• Murrell, A. R., & Christoff, K. A. & Henning, K. R. (2007). Characteristics of domestic violence offenders:
associations with childhood exposure to violence. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 7, 523-532.

51. References
• Mustanoja, S., Luukkonen, A., Hakko, H., Räsänen, P., Säävälä, H., & Riala, K. (2011). Is Exposure to Domestic
Violence and Violent Crime Associated with Bullying Behaviour Among Underage Adolescent Psychiatric
Inpatients?. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 42(4), 495-506. doi:10.1007/s10578-011-0222-9
• O’Brien, K. et al. (2013). Lifting the domestic violence cloak of silence: resilient australian women’s reflected
memories of their childhood experiences of witnessing domestic violence. Journal of Family Violence. 28, 1, 95-
108.
• Pechtel, P., & Pizzagalli, D. A. (2011). Effects of early life stress on cognitive and affective function: An
integrated review of human literature. Psychopharmacology, 214(1), 55-70. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00213-
010-2009-2
• Rothman, E. F., Bernstein, J., & Strunin, L. (2010). Why Might Adverse Childhood Experiences Lead to Underage
Drinking Among US Youth? Findings From an Emergency Department-Based Qualitative Pilot Study.
Substance Use & Misuse, 45(13), 2281-2290. doi:10.3109/10826084.2010.482369

52. References
•Szyndrowski, D. (1999). The Impact of Domestic Violence on Adolescent Aggression in the
Schools. Preventing School Failure, 44(1), 9.
• The role of social workers in responding effectively to domestic abuse. (2015, April 29). Retrieved
from Safe Lives : Ending Domestic Violence: http://www.safelives.org.uk/practice_blog/role-
social-workers-responding-effectively-domestic-abuse
• Thomsen, C. J. et al. (2005). Predicting adult risk of child physical abuse from childhood exposure
to violence: can interpersonal schemata explain the association? Journal of Social and Clinical
Psychology. 24, 7, 981-1002.

53. References
• Vagi K., Olsen E., Basile K., Vivolo-Kantor A.(2015) Teen dating violence (physical and sexual)
among US high school students: Findings from the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
JAMA Pediatrics 2015; 169(5):474-482.
• Warshaw, C. & Health, C. M. & Rivera, E. A. (2013). A systematic review of trauma-focused
interventions for domestic violence survivors. National Center of Domestic Violence, Trauma &
Mental Health
• Wasco, Campbell, Riger, Howard. (2003). Counseling services for domestic violence survivors a
review of the empirical evidence. National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental
Health.
• www.cdv.org
• http://legis.la.gov/Legis/LawSearch.aspx

54. References
• https://www.reference.com/government-politics/laws-exist-combat-domestic-violence-united-states-
c875f680336332b7
• http://stopdv.org/index.php/statistics/
• http://www.theduluthmodel.org/about/index.html