On the surface it all looked well. A happy family that many dreamt of. On the inside the waters were troubled. Unhappy souls keeping a front. From time to time, there were rays of hope and thoughts that “this too will pass”, like the past storms. Resilience begins to wane, thoughts of hope start to fade. A pattern of abuse in various forms and waning hope with the next turn becomes the norm. The spinning wheel of unseen pain depleting the strength to carry on! The cycle if not broken results in the lives of those involved being shattered! Unfortunately more victims are often present: the impact on children of abuse in any form is deeply damaging and carries on to adulthood!
Some will argue that the children were shielded from the drama of the domestic abuse. If a house is raging on fire and children are kept in a separate room, are they at risk of harm in any form? Could they not inhale toxic fumes and suffer harm in various ways? How dangerous is the impact of toxic fumes? How are children affected by inhaling toxic fumes or constantly being terrified by raging fires in an environment where they ought to feel secure? What are the short and long term effects on fragile minds, of living with adults that live a lie – claiming togetherness to the world whilst children see the acrimonious discord? How do these children learn to trust or feel secure in a world that seems increasingly uncertain? How does their childhood experience empower them for the future?
Domestic violence is damaging to children, physically, mentally and emotionally. Please break the cycle of abuse – get expert help! Every child matters! Every life matters!!