BCIFV home > Overview of Family Violence > 6. Effects of family violence

OVERVIEW OF FAMILY VIOLENCE

CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. What Do We Mean By Family Violence?
3. How Common Is Violence In The Family?
4. Familial Homicide
5. Criminal Harassment (Stalking)
6. Effects Of Family Violence
7. Is All Family Violence Criminal Behavior?
8. Application Of Civil And Legal Remedies
9. What Services Are Available In BC?
10. References
11. Resources

EFFECTS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE

All family violence has the potential of inflicting psychological and physical harm. The nature of the potential harm does not seem to be affected greatly by the family relationship or the type of abuse, as long as an abuse of one's power over another is present. Children who witness parental violence, for example, may be as severely affected as children who are direct victims of physical or sexual assault. If they also are direct victims of abuse, the effects are additive.

Suicidal and homicidal behavior are possible, as is "domino effect" abuse in which the original targets of violence, powerless to stop violence against themselves, abuse their power over other family members (e.g., children or elderly dependents) or pets.

Short-term effects

In addition to the physical injuries that can occur, psychological damage in the short-term is highly likely to some degree. Fear, anxiety, depression, anger and hostility, aggression, lowered self-esteem, social isolation and withdrawal and other inappropriate or self-destructive behavior have all been noted. These effects may in some individuals be sufficiently severe that they reach clinical levels. In particular, some victims have been diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, a set of symptoms that often characterizes victims of torture, natural disasters and war. Cognitive and physical effects may also be witnessed, including poor school performance and/or attendance, inability to concentrate, changes in appearance, health and activity level, etc. Physical evidence of assaults may or may not be visible.

The effects of violence may not be in evidence immediately, or may be difficult to detect in some apparently highly functioning children. Some researchers studying effects on children exposed to family violence observed a pattern of behaviors in children they termed "compulsively compliant" which illustrate how outward appearance of adjustment may mask inward distress (Crittenden, 1998). These children responded to the chaos in their family environment by becoming hyper-responsive to parental cues, suppressing emotions that would incite parental disapproval or abuse while projecting "positive" emotions they did not really feel, and age-inappropriate, over-responsible behaviors, especially in response to parental directives. The "walking on eggshells" atmosphere these children endure is reminiscent of the tension-building phase that marks the prelude to aggression in the cycle of violence frequently witnessed in partner abuse.

Long-term effects

Long-term, or even life-long, effects can also occur. Studies of the chronically mentally ill, substance abusers, criminals, and adult perpetrators and victims of family violence regularly reveal high proportions of individuals who have experienced family violence in earlier years. This has led many professionals to conclude that early experience of family violence inevitably results in long-term damage. However, studies that follow child victims of family violence through to adulthood show that many manage to overcome early adversity and carry on to live productive and violence-free lives (e.g., Widom, 1989). So far, the primary factors identified as protecting victims from long-term negative consequences are extensive social support, at the time of exposure to violence and thereafter, secure attachments to friends, partners or family members, and a supportive relationship in adulthood.

Describing the effects of family violence solely on its direct and unfortunate victims neglects the very real impact of domestic violence on the larger community. Living with violence, whether within one's four walls, next door, or down the street, indirectly exerts a toll on society in many insidious ways. It increases tension between individuals and communities, normalizes violence as an appropriate means for coping with conflict and discomfort, and reinforces gender and cultural stereotypes. These effects become all the more tragic when violent behaviors and the attitudes that sustain them are passed on to subsequent generations, where the violent cycle continues.

The costs of family violence

The costs to society associated with abuse of women and children in British Columbia was the subject of a report issued by the Ministry of Women's Equality in 1996. Among the identified costs totalling $385 million per year were operational costs associated with the maintenance of a number of social and law enforcement programs. Expenses the authors deemed "unknown but large" included emergency medical care costs and those stemming from the intergenerational "transmission" of violence (Kerr & McLean, 1996).

However, the most far-reaching and tragic costs resulting from family violence in Canadian families is the loss of positive relationships, health and well-being for people of all ages and walks of life. Whether violent behavior is transmitted across generations, and claims even greater numbers of future victims, or whether an examination of the profoundly negative effect of violence in both the community and the home is confined to the context of lives compromised in the present, there is little doubt that family violence is one of our greatest social problems.

Next: Is All Family Violence Criminal Behavior?

This page last updated May 31, 2002.
Copyright (c) 1996 BC Institute Against Family Violence.