10/22/2026
๐ข๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต.
When the person a child relies on for safety is being hurt by another caregiver; it creates intense internal turmoil for that child. A child may love both people while struggling with fear, confusion, and uncertainty about safety (theirs and their caregiver's).
Domestic violence can affect children in ways that aren't always visible:
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฝ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: Chronic exposure to violence can trigger prolonged stress responses that affect brain development, memory, learning, and concentration.
๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต: Children may develop trauma related mental health disorders.
๐ฃ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต: Children may experience unexplained headaches, stomachaches, fatigue, and other stress-related symptoms.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด-๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น-๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ด: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research links childhood exposure to violence with increased risks of chronic illness and mental health challenges in adulthood.
๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐: Children may internalize harmful lessons about power and control, potentially repeating abusive patterns later in life.
The effects can be profound, but they are not inevitable. Safe environments, supportive adults, and appropriate services can help children heal and build healthy relationships.
At the Burke County Childrenโs Advocacy Center, we believe protecting children means recognizing the many ways violence affects themโeven when they are not the direct target.
๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ.
