Understanding the impact of domestic violence: In a family:
Domestic violence is a real and ever-present crisis that requires ever-present vigilance. Individually and together, let’s #BeTheVillage and keep going in our efforts to protect victims, support survivors, and create a world free of violence.
Domestic Violence is the continual pattern of one person in a relationship using power and control over another in an intimate relationship. This abusive behavior can be physical, but it can also be emotional, verbal, psychological, sexual, or financial abuse. Domestic violence is an ongoing pattern to use these abusive behaviors to enforce control over the other person. In the United States, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime.
Intimate partner violence and child abuse co-occur 30 to 60% of the time, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute and the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, even when child abuse is not occurring at the same time as the domestic violence, research has shown that children who have witnessed domestic violence have the same life-long mental health effects as if they had experienced the abuse directly. UNICEF reports that over 275 million children world-wide have witnessed domestic violence.
Children who have witnessed domestic violence often experience long-term physical and psychological effects. Research has found they have 40% lower reading levels. They are at increased risk for PTSD, anxiety and depression. Children who witness domestic violence are also at risk for physiological effects later in life, such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, the Surgeon General of California, discusses this link between childhood trauma and toxic stress and the ongoing physical effects in her book The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity, and says even sleeping infants can experience the negative psychological effects of being in prolonged toxic stressful situations.
Signs of domestic violence in a relationship
Extreme jealousy, often with accusations of cheating
Embarrassing or shaming you
Controlling who you spend time with or talk with
Consistently putting you down and criticizing you
Blaming you for their behavior
Denying or minimizing their actions against you
Controls all the money, or possibly refuses to give you money for expenses
Physically hurts you or threatens to do physical harm to you or other members of the family.
How to help a friend or a family member
If a friend or family member is in an abusive relationship, it’s important to know common warning signs and how to help.
Warning signs of domestic violence:
Your friend or family member is becoming more withdrawn and you hardly ever see or talk with them anymore.
They are in constant contact with their partner when you do spend time together.
Their partner controls many of their actions, including how much they spend or how long they can be out of the house or on the phone.
Their partner makes fun of them and embarrasses them in front of you.
How to help:
Listen without judgment. Don’t say things like “If I were you, I’d leave!” or “I wouldn’t put up with that behavior.” This could cause your friend or family member to withdraw or not see you as someone who can help. Instead, listen and become someone they confide in.
Don’t degrade the abusive partner to the victim. This may make the victim feel like she has to defend the abusive partner, and make the victim less likely to talk with you openly.
Remember don’t blame the victim for not leaving the relationship. It’s less about making the choice to leave than making sure there’s a way to safely do so.
Let the victim know you are concerned for their safety and you will be there no matter what.
Find and connect the victim with local resources who will be able to provide support.
In the neighbourhood:
Though the cost to society might pale in comparison to an individual’s traumatic experience, it’s important to note that the effects of domestic violence extend far beyond the homes in which it occurs.
Unfortunately, children are also a frequent target of domestic violence abusers. However, even when children are not directly physically or emotionally abused, the stress of the situation in the household causes immense harm. Children who witness domestic violence have increased stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges. This not only affects their mental health but also their ability to focus and learn in school. A lack of educational success can lead to even more far-reaching challenges in the lives of these children.
Future Chronic Health Problems
In addition to cost of physical injuries that occur as a direct result of abuse, other health problems can arise in survivors from the stress of abuse. “Women directly affected by violence are more likely report the following: use of disability equipment; arthritis; asthma; activity limitations; stroke; high blood cholesterol; heart attack; heart disease; risk factors for HIV and STDs; smoking; and heavy or binge drinking” (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000).
The magnitude of increase to these risk factors is astounding: “Abused women are 70% more likely to have heart disease, 80% more likely to experience a stroke, and 60% more likely to develop asthma” (Pearl, Robert MD; Fortune, Dec. 2013). These health problems cause additional suffering for survivors, and they also put more strain on the healthcare system.
The Economic Cost
Domestic violence leaves behind terrible emotional pain and trauma, which is difficult to quantify. The cost of the physical toll it takes can be more easily estimated. According to the CDC, in 2003, the direct healthcare costs of domestic violence totaled approximately $4.1 billion. An additional $1.8 billion was lost in productivity due to injuries and premature death. Domestic violence is the number one cause of injury for women ages 18-44 (Pearl, Robert MD; Fortune, Dec. 2013).
On average, victims of intimate partner violence lose a total of 8 million days of paid work each year as a result of their abuse. This absenteeism comes as a result of survivors recovering from injuries, as well as an inability to get to work due to their partner sabotaging their means of transportation or child care, among other controlling tactics.
In 2010, it was estimated that the average cost to society of a homicide is $17.25 million. Out of that figure, $307,355 is estimated to go to expenses within the justice system (“Average Homicide Cost is $17.25M, Study Concludes,” ABA Journal, October 18, 2010). Even without taking into account the moral and ethical costs of homicide, prevention programs are clearly the cheaper alternative from a financial perspective alone.
The Safety Risk to the Community at Large
Domestic violence abusers are not only a risk to their partners and family but also their community. While law enforcement officers are at an especially high risk of harm, violence wrought by abusers can also lead to injury or death of everyday bystanders. Law enforcement and justice system resources are also heavily taxed by addressing domestic violence issues, leading to a variety of unintended consequences we may never be able to fully evaluate.
At work:
How does domestic violence impact people at work?
One in three workers have experienced domestic violence, and for many, the violence follows them to work.
Often abusers will try to prevent their partners or ex-partners from getting to work, causing them to be late or have to miss work. Abusers may also excessively call, email, or text victims while they are at work, come into the workplace, or stalk the victim.
“[The abuser] would phone my workplace to see what time I had left, and phoned when I arrived to make sure I was actually going to work.”
Over 80 percent of people who experience domestic violence report that their work performance was negatively affected. Absenteeism and poor work performance can leave survivors vulnerable to discipline, and some even lose their jobs.
“Dealing with my ex-husband left me feeling anxious, tired due to lack of sleep. It affected the pleasure my work usually gives me.”
Work can be a safe haven for someone who is experiencing violence at home. The financial security of a job and some time away from their abuser can help a person experiencing violence seek support or make a plan to leave the relationship. However, the workplace can also be a dangerous place for people experiencing domestic violence, since abusers know where to find them.
Abusers also feel the impacts of their behaviour at the workplace. They may use work time or equipment to send abusive messages or otherwise plan and carry out violent acts. They may be preoccupied or distracted, affecting their work performance and leaving them vulnerable to discipline or job loss—which then puts the person targeted by their abuse at greater risk, as unemployment is a risk factor for serious injury or death.
Co-workers and others in the workplace can also experience the negative effects of domestic violence through increased workloads, stress, calls or visits from their co-worker’s abuser, and other potential safety risks.
“My co-workers were worried and disturbed by the physical and emotional evidence of the abuse.”
One in three workers have experienced domestic violence, and for many, the violence follows them to work.
Often abusers will try to prevent their partners or ex-partners from getting to work, causing them to be late or have to miss work. Abusers may also excessively call, email, or text victims while they are at work, come into the workplace, or stalk the victim.
“[The abuser] would phone my workplace to see what time I had left, and phoned when I arrived to make sure I was actually going to work.”
