HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month; a time to educate people about what it looks like and how to stop it. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates between 3.3 and 10 million children are exposed to domestic violence every year.
The National Children’s Advocacy Center advocates for children who have experienced abuse and helps them through recovery. Intervention and Clinical Director Erica Hochberger said children that grow up around violence can think it’s normal.
“It’s something that a lot of families don’t talk about,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s something that kids don’t realize even has a name called ‘domestic violence’ or ‘intimate partner violence.’ Sometimes, it’s just their reality. It’s what they’ve grown up in.”
Hochberger said domestic violence happens when a family member abuses a power imbalance. Physically overpowering someone, emotional abuse, using religion to intimidate and control, and financial abuse are common forms.
She said kids who experience domestic violence are at risk of inflicting it on others.
“All of us copy what we see and if what you see is somebody being abused, it’s, almost natural in some ways to either follow in the footsteps of committing abusive behavior or of thinking that, ‘this is the role I want to play’ and thinking that abuse is the norm,” she said.
This month, Hochberger said it’s important to teach kids about respecting boundaries, conflict resolution, and what healthy relationships look like.
“Sometimes, it’s hard for kids that haven’t seen a healthy relationship to believe that it exists,” she said. “It can seem like a fairy tale.”
It’s also important to look for signs that a child is being exposed to violence.
“If something is off about their behavior, something’s different than it usually is, if something seems to be bothering their emotions or their relationships, if they’re having trouble eating or sleeping,” she said, “I think all of those are important to pay attention to and not necessarily know what’s wrong, but let you know that, hey, this this might be a cry for help.”
If you experience domestic violence or suspect a child might be in an unsafe environment, Herberger said you should make a report with law enforcement. The National Children’s Advocacy Center and Crisis Services offer trauma therapy and other resources for kids and adults.
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