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1. How much physical child abuse is associated with domestic violence?

About 50% of children in families with domestic violence will also be physically abused.

• Older children may be harmed because they try to protect a parent.
• Children may get indirect injuries by flying objects intended to hit the other parent.
• Infants have been hurt while being held by a parent when the abuser strikes them.
• Abusers may use the children in order to control their partner. For example, an abuser may threaten to harm or kidnap the children to stop his/her partner from leaving.

2. How does domestic violence change a child's life?

Whether or not the children are physically abused, they will always suffer emotional and mental trauma from living in a violent family.

• Children raised in abusive homes may believe that violence is the way to resolve problems.
• Children may have problems eating and sleeping due to stress. They end up suffering from lack of sleep and nutrition.
• Children may slip back into more childish behaviors, such as thumb-sucking, nail-biting and bed-wetting.
• The stress can cause them to do poorly in school and have problems getting along with other children.
• Children are more likely to have stress related ailments such as: headaches, ulcers, stomach aches and rashes.
• Children often have problems with depression, anxiety, fear and guilt that they carry into their adult life.
• They may live in constant fear of injury to their parent or themselves.
• They may have mixed feelings and feel guilty that they still love the abuser.
• Teenagers may run away, be involved in juvenile crime or enter abusive relationships themselves.