Compensation & Counseling Services
Domestically abusive environments damage children in a variety of ways. Always:
1. Tell them it is not their fault.
2. Encourage them to talk about the domestic violence.
3. Work out a safety and exit plan with them.
4. Let then know that they are not alone.
Domestic abuse is a significant problem for many people and if not addressed it eventually dominates relationships to the detriment of all concerned. Please answer the following questions honestly:
1. Are you in a relationship with a person who regularly phsically, emotionally or verbally abuses you?
2. Do you feel controlled or isolated from others by your partner?
3. Are you afraid of your partner?
4. Do you feels unsafe in your own home?
5. Has your partner forced you to have unwanted sex?
6. Have you experienced domestic violence as a child or in a previous relationship?
7. Have you ever called the police because you feared for your or your families safety?
If you have answered yes to any of the above questions you may require professional assistance. Call Victims of Crime Counselling Services for assistance.
At some time in your life you are likely to experience or witness a traumatic event. Those events that involve intense fear, helplessness or horror are more likely to result in a disabling response. Examples of traumatic events are criminal assault, sexual abuse, domestic violence and stalking.
Common emotional responses include fear, guilt and anger. Common cognitive responses include impaired concentration, self-blame and intrusive thoughts. Common physical responses include sleeping difficulties, tiredness and impaired appetite. Common behaviour responses include social withdrawal and loss of interest in usual activities.
While most trauma victims recover quickly a small number do not. Some people go on to develop conditions such as Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depressive Disorders.
Symptoms that constitute these disorders include intrusive thoughts, avoidance behaviour, restricted emotions and increased arousal.
Some of the factors that may contribute to severe responses to trauma include the severity, duration, proximity and nature of the trauma.
Following a trauma it is important to tell your story and stay connected to close others. It is also very imoortant to continue with your normal life routine as best as possible as well as to confront your fears.
If you are continuing to have significant symptoms post trauma you will most likely require some professional help. If so please call Victims of Crime Counselling and Compensation Services on freecall 1800 00 00 55 or 93808129.
Domestic violence is a crime. Women are at greater risk at home than on the street. Most violence in the home is committed by men. Women and children are most of the victims.
Domestic violence is any behavior which causes physical, sexual or psychological damage or causes someone to live in fear. Physical and sexual violence are the more obvious forms of violence. Rape within marriage is a crime in Victoria. Other forms of violence include making you think you are crazy, locking you in the house, threatening to kill the children, treating you like a servant, and so on. Some have said that these things are just as damaging as physical violence.
If you are in a violent relationship you may feel degraded and alone, afraid to tell anyone, worried about what others will think, afraid that it is your fault, scared that it will get worse if you leave, insecure about your children’s future, frustrated and sad because you have tried everything to change the situation, guilty about leaving, that you have failed as a wife and mother. You are not to blame about the violence. You have a right to be safe. You have the right to live a life free of violence.
Many children who witness domestic violence have been found to have higher levels of behavioral and emotional problems than other children. The impact varies according to their age, sex and role in the family. Some children feel responsible for the violence. They may think they are making things easier for their mother by not saying how they feel, by trying to be quieter, better able to cope.
While most children escape without physical injury they may bear emotional scares which in many cases can last a lifetime.
Researchers at Oregon State University recently completed a study that suggests the way parents view their children is a critical factor in the potential risk of child abuse, and could even be more important than whether the parents are abusive to each other.
Results of the study have been published in the Journal of Family Psychology. OSU researchers say the relationship between domestic violence and child abuse is well known. For years, the generally accepted idea is that couples who engage in domestic abuse are more likely to abuse their children.
Experts have differing opinions on the reasons why.
Psychologists at the University of Arkansas’s Center for Research on Aggression and Violence (CRAV) who are currently investigating domestic violence have discovered that men who beat women fall into three main “types” of offenders. Such insight may eventually lead to improved treatment methodologies and the possibility of early intervention.