Domestic violence effects last for life

An Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) report on the effects of crime on different social groups found that young children who were victims of or witnesses to violence were more likely to become aggressive, have low self-esteem and do less well at school than their peers.

The IPPR drew on evidence from research carried out by the charity Refuge last year. Refuge estimates that at least 750,000 children witness domestic violence each year, and that 50 per cent of these will also be victims of violence.

Refuge chief executive Sandra Horley said, 'For too long, children under five who experience domestic violence have gone unheard and unrecognised.

Refuge believes that the Government has a duty to protect pre-school children from the effects of domestic violence and is calling for adequate and sustainable funding for much-needed support services.'

The Refuge assessment was the first study of pre-school victims conducted in a refuge setting. The study found that under-fives who witnessed or suffered domestic violence were at significant risk of developing emotional and behavioural difficulties as well as speech and language problems.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms were reported in 50 per cent of the 33 children studied.

The IPPR report said that children who witness domestic violence experience similar effects to those abused. IPPR director Nick Pearce said, 'Repeat victimisation is particularly worrying, because a series of incidents can have a much larger impact than would be predicted by adding together the effects of several isolated incidents.'

CrimeShare: The unequal impact of crime can be downloaded at www.ippr.org/publicationsandreports.