The relationship between Child abuse and Domestic Violence

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Introduction
Domestic violence (DV) has been described as the assaulting as well as coercive conducts that comprise the bodily, sexual, as well as mental attacks which couples utilize against one another (Cahill & Peter 340). On the other hand, child abuse is described as the intentional pattern of harms toward a kid (Cahill & Peter 340). Therefore, child mistreatment is injury towards a kid that lacks “justifiable” reason. It comprises intentional bodily harm, desertion, sexual mistreatment, as well as emotional maltreatment. Over the years, investigators have established a connection between DV and child mistreatment. In this essay, the writer argues that there exist a relationship between DV and child abuse since kids may be victims of DV and they may witness the commission of DV which might affect them mentally and emotionally. Further, the kids may be unintentionally harmed during the commission of the DV acts, and the batterers may utilize the kids to manipulate the other party.
The Relationship between Child Abuse and Domestic Violence
First, kids in homes experiencing DV always witness the acts of DV. As reported by Hume, over one-half of women who suffer DV within the US stay in houses having kids below 12 years (Hume 5). As observers, kids may be injured mentally as well as emotionally. Researches illustrate that kids who observe DV are averagely very violent, afraid and experience anxiety, dejection as well as other distress-linked signs.

These kids will always assume the responsibility for the mistreatment and might have the guilt of inability to stop the DV (Hume 6). These kids shall have the endless worry that a new punching shall take place or they shall be deserted. Cahill and Peter explain that kids in houses experiencing DV might be at a higher danger of alcohol or substance abuse, suffer stress-linked illnesses such as headaches and have academic problems (Cahill & Peter 341). Chang et al. in their research established a connection between mental abuse among the spouses with mental and physical mistreatment of their kids (Chang et al. 822). It implies that when spouses abuse one another, it is very probable that all or one partner shall abuse the kids. Further, from the study, children were very likely to suffer mental mistreatment in families in which all the parents mentally abuse one another. In families where the parents mentally abuse one another, the researcher established occurrences of bodily mistreatment towards the child (Cahill & Peter 342; Chang et al. 824). The kids at higher risk of bodily abuse stayed in families in which the father mentally mistreated the partner.
Secondly, kids may also be the actual victims of DV. A child might be a victim of bodily, sexual from mental attack from a parent. Kennedy established that close to 50 percent of fathers assaulting their partners also regularly attack the kids. He further states that within the US, children in families with DV incidences are bodily mistreated or deserted at the rate of 1500% more than the nationwide average (Kennedy 76). Moreover, women are six times very probable to injure a child if they have been assaulted than if they are not (Kennedy 74). Moreover, he cites that over 50 percent of kids in families experiencing DV are victims of bodily maltreatment or desertion. Levey, Wade, and Steketee in their survey discovered that 45-70 percent of kids exposed to DV are also casualties of the mistreatments (Levey, Wade and Steketee 23).
Thirdly, a child might be unintentionally injured during the DV acts between the spouses. A child may be caught up in the fighting and might be hit by things thrown by a batterer. Tajima investigated three forms of cruelty against kids: bodily mistreatment, chastisement, and verbal insults. She discovered that 4% of the participants had experienced bodily child mistreatment within their family (Tajima 1386). 62% of the participants registered some occurrences of physical chastisement, and 55 percent registered having experienced verbal insults. When these results were contrasted to partner mistreatment, it was discovered that existence of partner cruelty escalated the possibility of child cruelty by 70 percent and it escalated the danger of verbal insults by 42 percent (Tajima 1388).
Lastly, a child might be utilized by the batterers to manipulate the other party. Hume explains that a batterer might issue threats of taking custody of or abducting a child if the partner reports the occurrence of DV (Hume 4). A partner may as well issue threats of injuring or killing the child. Worse still, a partner might injure a child to influence the other party. At the time of and following the divorce, the batterer can persist to utilize these methods with visits as well as joint guardianship offering the abuser with the chance to mistreat, bully and terrorize the ex-partners (Hume 3).
Conclusion
In conclusion, DV always incorporates elements of child mistreatment. Kids living in houses in which DV takes place can witness the DV acts which might adversely affect their mentally, physical and emotional growth. The kids may also be victims through being beaten by the batterer or might unintentionally be casualties of the DV. Lastly, the children might be utilized by the violent spouse to manipulate or influence the other partner. Kids can be ill-treated as well as intimidated to punish a spouse of DV.
Works Cited
Cahill, Linda, and Peter Sherman. “Child abuse and domestic violence.” Pediatrics in review 27.9 (2006): 339-344. http://www.medicine.uic.edu/UserFiles/Servers/Server_442934/File/Peiatrics/Resident%20Website%20Chicago/developmental%20website/Week3_Childabuse.pdf
Chang, Jen Jen, Adrea D. Theodore, Sandra L. Martin, Desmond K. Runyan. “Psychological abuse between parents: associations with child maltreatment from a population-based sample.” Child Abuse & Neglect 32.8 (2008): 819-829.
Hume, Marie. “The relationship between child sexual abuse, domestic violence, and separating families.” (2003): 2-11. http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/conferences/2003-abuse/hume.pdf
Kennedy, Bernice R. “Domestic Violence: AKA Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).” iUniverse, 2007. http://brkhealthcare.com/uploads/Domestic_Violence.pdf
Levey, Lynn S., Martha W. Steketee, and Susan L. Keilitz. “Lessons learned in implementing an integrated domestic violence court: The District of Columbia experience.” National Center for State Courts, 2000.
Tajima, Emiko A. “The relative importance of wife abuse as a risk factor for violence against children.” Child Abuse & Neglect 24.11 (2000): 1383-1398. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/0776/55dee8545fdcbe4b95c565673f111551cf29.pdf