Help your child if faced with domestic violence

by Ceo Challenge on 21 August 2012

Did you know?

• Environments where there is violence, intimidation, uncertainty and fear are not safe.
• These environments are not good for children.
• Ongoing and abusive parental conflict has a worse effect on children?s development and adjustment than separation and divorce.
• Some people feel they do not have a choice to leave a violence relationship.
• Even if they do leave the relationship, the children will, in most cases, continue to have contact with the person using violence.
• This very often results in the abusive person continuing to exert some control and violence through their contact with the children.

What can you do?

Get support for yourself. Find ways to keep in contact with family, friends, professional help. Kids look to parents for reassurance, security and certainty ? getting support and help for yourself is an extremely important way to help your child.

Make a decision to keep you and your children safe ? there are people who can help you.

• Work at keeping a close and supporting relationship with your child
• Encourage relationships with respectful and non-violent role models ? eg: friends, parents of friends, teachers, other family, neighbours, celebrities, sports people
• Remember that adolescence is also a time when young people are striving to separate their identity for their parents and family. They often test out their own beliefs and may disagree with and challenge you
• Remember ? your words, thoughts, suggestions and actions are important to young people ? even if they don?t show it
• Talk about violence as being a destructive way to solve upsets and explore consequences of violence in relationships
• Be clear ? using violence is a choice. The person who uses violence is always responsible, it?s their choice
• Acknowledge the young person?s feelings and encourage/show them ways to safely express these feelings
• Support the young person in feeling successful and strong without violence ? eg: schoolwork, sport, music, art, employment, friendships
• Encourage the young person to dream and make plans about their future
• Remind them they can choose to behave non-violently

Music has been a big influence on, in how I express myself. Some of the different moods I get in relate to different styles of music I listen to. Sometimes heavy metal music, I listen to that a lot. When I need to calm myself down and rap and R&B music I listen to a lot of that too depending on what mood I get into. Just some of the music helps me to let out my expressions, it helps a lot.? (17 year old male)

CONTACT LIST to get help

If you are in immediate danger call 000
dvconnect : 1800 811 811 (phone service for women, children and young people)
dvconnect men?s line : 1800 600 636
Kids Help Line : 1800 551 800
Parentline : 1300 30 1300

** Source : Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research. Factsheet Series ? Children and Domestic and Family Violence ? September 2003

Source: http://ceochallengeaustralia.org/domestic-violence/help-your-child-if-faced-with-domestic-violence/

incendiary floyd mayweather winter solstice x factor finale pro bowl voting kindle fire update pasco county