Volume 14, No.2, April 2004

The Overlap of Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment

Contributors:
Fran Danis, Asst. Prof. of Social Work, UMC
Tanna L. Klein, Research Associate, UOE-OSEDA

The Missouri Kids Count Data Book 2003 released earlier this year, reports that the rate of child abuse/neglect almost doubled from 1998 to 2002. While this is partially due to combining findings of "Probable Cause" with findings of "Family Assessment" (see "**How Missouri Responds to Child Abuse and Neglect Reports"), this is, nevertheless, cause for concern.

Child protection agencies are increasingly aware that when there is child maltreatment there is often domestic violence. Research data generally support their experience. The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse suggests that domestic violence may be the single most significant precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in this country.

The Missouri Department of Public Safety collects information from law enforcement agencies across the state regarding domestic violence. Domestic Violence incidents are reported whether an arrest is made or not and include any dispute arising between spouses, persons with children in common regardless of whether they reside together, persons related by blood, persons related by marriage, non-married persons currently residing together, or non-married persons who have resided together in the past. Domestic violence incidents are reported when an officer believes a dispute crosses an abuse threshold as indicated by harassment, stalking, coercion, assault, sexual assault, battery, or unlawful imprisonment.

Table 1 shows the incidents of domestic violence by county in Missouri from 2001 through 2003. In 2003, there were 36,988 incidents of domestic violence reported by law enforcement agencies in the state. This is down slightly from 2002, when 36,633 incidents were reported. As large as these numbers are, domestic violence is actually underestimated in official reports. For example, the data do not include incidents involving people in a dating relationship or those who seek medical attention at emergency rooms but do not report to the police. The FBI reports that only one in seven women who have been victims of domestic violence call the police for assistance. This makes domestic violence one of the most under-reported crimes in America.

The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence (MCADV) publishes statistics about this issue each year. These statistics are compiled by MCADV from data voluntarily submitted by 80 member programs that provide a wide range of services. MCADV also publishes statistics about the number of persons seeking help from community-based domestic violence programs each year.

The 2003 service report included the last published statistics. This report shows that, while 5,436 women and 5,539 children were sheltered, an additional 4,982 women, children and men were turned away because shelters were full.

Problems associated with children's witnessing of domestic violence.

In a national survey of more than 6,000 American families, 50 percent of the men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children. Those children are at risk for becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. Exposure to domestic violence can have serious negative effects on children. These effects may include behavioral problems such as aggression, phobias, insomnia, low self-esteem, or depression. Children exposed to domestic violence may demonstrate poor academic performance and problem-solving skills, and low levels of empathy.

A recent study found that school-age children who witness violence exhibit a range of problem behaviors including depression, anxiety, and violence towards peers.

Intervening Factors

The long-term effects that individual children experience as a result of exposure to domestic violence vary, depending upon many factors including:

• The level of violence in the family;
• The child's exposure to the violence;
• The gender of the child;
• The length of time since last exposed to violence;
• The child's connection to the non-abusive parent; and
• The relationships to other significant individuals.

Research indicates that the most important resource protecting children from the negative effects of exposure to violence is a strong relationship with a competent, caring, positive adult, most often a parent. Yet, when parents are themselves witnesses to or victims of violence, they may have difficulty fulfilling this role.

There are strong connections between domestic violence, child abuse and youth violence. Research and advocacy efforts show that keeping abused and battered mothers safe is the most effective intervention in reducing the likelihood of their children being abused or harmed.

Yet, our interventions are uncoordinated and often ineffective. Our nation urgently needs strategies and programs that will prevent and address them all.

Resources

• Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence (MCADV), http://www.mocadv.org/
• National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE, http://www.ndvh.org/
• The Family Violence Prevention Fund, http://www.endabuse.org/section/programs/children_families
• Domestic Violence Agencies on the Internet, http://www.silcom.com/~paladin/madv/dvagencies.html
• Faith Trust Institute, http://www.cpsdv.org/
• US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/factsheets/canstats.cfm
• Domestic Violence and Children, David and Lucille Packard Foundation, The Future of Children VOLUME 9, NUMBER 3 - WINTER 1999, http://www.futureofchildren.org/pubs-info2825/pubs-info.htm?doc_id=70473
• Family Violence Division of the National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges, http://www.ncjfcj.org/dept/fvd