Domestic Violence: Assessing Children's Exposure and their Protection

Domestic Violence: Assessing Children's Exposure and their Protection

Thesis Statement

“Despite the increasing evidences of children's exposure of domestic violence, there is a need to assess negative impacts on their development and protecting them with interventions and protection orders by court”

Edleson, J.L. et al (2007). Assessing child exposure to adult domestic violence. Elsevier Ltd. Available from http://www.mincava.umn.edu/cedv/art1.pdf. Date Accessed July 23, 2013

With an increase in domestic violence research, an interest of researchers regarding children's exposure is also increased. Despite much research on the experiences of children facing domestic violence, no particular measure exists to assess the diversity of such violence. Jeffrey L. Edleson and co-authors, In their research, have identified number of factors which affect children' experiences and their results. This study reviews different measures including questions about adult violence and children's exposure or perception regarding domestic violence. The study has reviews several secondary researches about the measures to assess child's exposure which is its strength. After thorough review and segmenting it in different sections, authors conclude that the existing measures do not identify child's exposure factors in detail. Hence, call for development of new tools which would enable researches to assess children's exposure to domestic violence.

Carpenter, G.L. and Stacks, A.M (2009). Developmental effects of exposure to Intimate Partner Violence in early childhood: A review of the literature. Children and Youth Services Review 31. Available from http://www.childwitnesstoviolence.org/uploads/2/5/7/9/257929/carpenter._developmental_effects_of_exposure_to_intimate_partner_violence_in_early_childhood.pdf. Date Accessed July 23, 2013

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), a form of domestic violence, has become a significant problem in the United States and the most potential victims are the women of childbearing age. Young children of such women, who had been victims of IPV, are impacted by the violence their mothers have faced. However, no particularly inquiry regarding IPV takes place even upon the evidences of child being abused. This article highlights the importance of routine screening for IPV among children in social and welfare services. For this task, the authors have reviewed representative social-emotional and neurological/psychological development among young children and effects of IPV on these developmental domains. The article describes the early childhood brain development and how an exposure to violence impacts this development. Furthermore, it also explains emotional development and how attachment to mother and exposure to violence may hamper their emotional maturity. The article suggests that early interventions to young children living with IPV play a role of a barrier to negative effects ...