Discuss victimization of Children that are exposed to domestic Essay

Discuss victimization of Children that are exposed to domestic violence and the long term impact - Essay Example Individuals who are directly targeted in domestic violence are not only suffering its adverse effects; others, especially children, are even experiencing the negative effects of this sort of violent behavior. Children are being exposed to this sort of violence in their everyday life in different forms; exposure might be in form of hearing, seeing, experiencing and being informed about such assaults. According to the US Census Bureau, during 2001 a total of 15.5 million children were living in households where domestic violence was taking place (McDonald, 2007). Children who are violated in cases of domestic violence are not only the ones being negatively impacted; even children who live in households where domestically violent activities are taking place are being negatively impacted. The degree of impact may vary according to factors such as age, sex, frequency, and whether the child has been directly abused or has experienced indirect abuse. The negative effects domestic violence on children are said to be short as well as long term in nature. Short term negative effects associated with domestic violence include: increase in anxiousness, depressing state of mind, and depreciated level of performance in academic life and self-esteem. The long-term negative effects associated with domestic violence are those concerning the way domestically violated children exhibit as they grow up. College going students that have been violated indirectly reported the various issues stated in the short term negative effects of this kind of violence as compared to those college students that do not experience intimate partner violence (Stark, 2009). Studies even report that individuals who have been abused sexually and emotionally in childhood have even reported the same kinds of abuse in their adulthood (Stark, 2009). The social learning theory states that if children observe