Effects of Childhood Exposure to Family Violence

Exposure to Family Violence Treatment and Therapy in Toronto

What is Exposure to Family Violence?

Exposure to family violence is when a child witnesses a parent/caregiver being physically, emotionally, financially or sexually abused by a significant other, or when they are not protected from witnessing family violence. Exposure to family violence can include:

• Overhearing violence

• Being subjected to deliberate or accidental violence

• Having to help in the aftermath of violence (i.e. caring for the injured/distressed parent)

• Being present when police or emergency services intervene

• Being used as a pawn by the perpetrator

Fortunately, there are many effective virtual and in-person treatments and therapies in Toronto that can help children who are struggling with the impacts of family violence.

What are Common Signs of Exposure to Family Violence?

Children who are exposed to family violence may show the following physical and/or behavioural signs:

Physical Signs

• Child’s failure to thrive

• Physical harm as a result of the violent episode

• Frequent physical symptoms (i.e. headaches, stomach aches)

Behavioural Signs

Preschool-Aged Children:

• Regressive behaviours (i.e. bedwetting, thumb sucking)

• Difficulty falling or staying asleep

• Change in eating habits

• Signs of terror (i.e. stuttering, hiding)

• Aggression or re-enactment of parental behaviour

• Overly compliant

• Difficulty relating to other children their age

• Signs of severe separation anxiety or disorganized attachment

School-Aged Children:

• Overly compliant or approval-seeking

• Low self-esteem

• Aggression or re-enactment of parental behaviour

• Low academic achievement

• Difficulty developing and maintaining relationships

• Signs of depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder

• Learning impairments

• Frequent absence from school as a result of wanting to protect the parent

• Withdrawal from friends and activities

• Fearful of self and others being hurt or killed

Adolescents:

• Frequent absence from school as a result of wanting to protect the parent

• Fixed attitudes toward gender roles

• Engage in risky behaviours (i.e. substance abuse)

• Engage in delinquent behaviours

• Bully others

• Fear of failure, perfectionist tendencies

• Low self-esteem

• Eating disorders

• Difficulty developing and maintaining relationships

• Extreme aggression or withdrawal

• Impaired moral reasoning

• Difficulty feeling empathy or sympathy

• Depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder

How to Support Children who are Exposed to Family Violence?

• For instructions:

  • Establish a simple routine and create a visual schedule for the child

    • Prepare the child ahead of time for any changes in the schedule

  • Use structured activities or guide the child during free-time to provide them with a sense of control over the environment

• For social skills:

  • o   Use role-play and activities to teach the child problem-solving and conflict resolution skills

• For emotional regulation:

  • Use videos/stories to teach the child how to identify and label emotions

  • Use a classroom pet that the child has to help take care of to promote moral development and empathy

Exposure to Family Violence Support for Families

For individuals and families in Toronto who struggling with the impacts of family violence, there are a variety of in-person and virtual treatments that may be beneficial, including:

• Programs and groups for kids that focus on behaviour and self-regulation

• Individual and family therapy

• Social skills training

• Emotional regulation training

• Play therapy 

• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy

• Cognitive behavioural therapy

• Behavioural therapy

• Dialectical behaviour therapy

• Parent training for behavioural management for kids