Effects of DV on Children - Help In Crisis

Developmental delay--especially in areas of language development.
The child may be afraid to speak, afraid of becoming the target of anger.
Very low tolerance to frustration--the child cries easily and often. Their world is so chaotic they cannot handle ordinary stress; have not seen appropriate ways of dealing with stress.
Acting out agressively toward peers and adults--children model the aggressive behaviors they witness in their home.
Emotional withdrawal--excessive thumb sucking, rocking, infant-like behaviors.
The child is trying to find safety and/or security.
Inability to play constructively--there will be a lot of throwing or kicking or possibly even destruction of toys and books. Many times children have never been shown how to play. Children also work out their frustrations and worries in their play.
Inconsistent or inappropriate display of emotions--this is caused by the child not learning appropriate emotional responses, as well as not being in touch with their true feelings.

Scholastically delayed /poor school performance--it is hard for the child to study and learn when the child worries about what is going to happen at home.
School, peer behavior problem--the child may have never witnessed appropriate interpersonal relationships, therefore has not learned appropriate ways to interact with others.
Aggressive acting-out is more severe and purposeful--the child is modeling the behavior witnessed in the home
Fearful, nightmares, night terrors--child may be afraid of sleep and being awakened by mother's screams, dad's yelling.
Withdrawn, depressed, sense of hopelessness, despondent, chronic headaches, stomach aches, etc
Child may begin to mimic adult roles--girls begin to take on the role of victim and boys begin to become aggressive or abusive
Chronic low self-esteem

Death by suicide or murder--by the time a child has been in a violent home this many years, they are so depressed they will seek to end the pain by either suicide or placing themselves in a position to be killed by others.
Signs of physical injuries, maiming, crippling, scarring, emotionally disturbed.
Emotional neglect--by this time the child has learned there is no one to listen or care, especially parents. Many times by now the child has stopped trying to reach the parents
Depression
Aggression, delinquency, runaways--realizing no one is going to take care of their needs except themselves.
Poor school adjustment (educational and peers)
Become more proficient at mimicking adult roles--the teen carries the role of aggressor or victim into their interpersonal relationships outside the family
Early marriage and sexual activity--this is a means of escape, or acting out from being sexually abused.
Alcohol and drug experimentation-a form of escapism, and self medicating from pain, also again mimicking adult behavior
Expansion of violence to the community--gang activity-seeking acceptance by a surrogate family