Family violence occurs for various reasons. However, its effects are non-selective and manifest in the children, the family unit, and the community at large. Child abuse is one of the forms of family violence. Child abuse can manifest through the physical, emotional and sexual abuse or neglect by the parents or caregivers. Lamont (2010) underscores the fact that child abuse amounts to a public and social problem. Child abuse results in adverse consequences during the childhood phase and through adolescence. In addition to the perspectives above, the author also explores the different forms of child abuse, the factors that increase the risk for child abuse, and the factors that exacerbate the outcomes of child abuse. The effects of the child abuse manifest through the different domains of development such as psychological, social, physical, behavioral and cognitive domains. English, Marshall & Stewart (2003) argue that children who have been victims of abuse develop behavioral problems in their future.
Elder abuse is another form of family violence that has adverse effects for the affected and the society at large. Acierno et al., (2010) found that elder abuse is very prevalent in the community. The mistreatment of adults was more prevalent in people who had experienced traumatic events in the past and in conditions where there was minimal social support. An analytical cross-sectional study by Gemeay & El Kayal (2011) found that the increased prevalence of elder abuse resulted in increased life dissatisfaction for the victims. This is significant because it also limits their participation in the society. This is especially the case when the mistreatment entails the denial of social support as found by Acierno et al., (2010). The elderly need social support because some of them are not economically productive or independent at this advanced age.
Domestic violence undermines the very foundation of the community. Stanley, Miller, Foster, and Thomson (2010) found that domestic violence destabilizes the family unit. Being the unit of the society, a destabilized family unit represents the first step towards an unstable community. Stanely et al., (2010) also found that domestic violence brought stigma to the family members, especially the children. This is more the case when there is an awareness of the situation in the community. Through the interviews performed by Stanley et al., (2010) showed a prevalent feeling that domestic violence had long-term consequences for the children. This is amplified by the fact that unlike the parents, the children lack the options to avoid the violence because they are below the majority age, and as such cannot vacate the home.
Intimate partner violence is a variant of domestic violence that according to Woods and Gill (2011) causes long-term effects for both the family and the community. The scholars argue that intimate partner violence as a variant of domestic violence causes chronic stress and injury. There is a cascade of effect for the victims that include a reduction in the biopsychophysiological functioning and diminished health both in the short-term and the long-term. The effects on the victims can translate to the undermining of the family unit resulting in broken homes. As highlighted before, the disintegration of the family unity is of negative concern for the health of the community.
The knowledge of the effects that family violence has on the members of the family and the community at large necessitates actions to end it. However, the design of approaches that can sustainably end the occurrence of family violence is dependent on the understanding of the factors that predict its occurrence. An understanding of its effects will also create urgency among the stakeholders. This paper shows the negative effects of child and elder abuse and domestic violence. It underscores the fact that these forms of family violence undermine the integrity of the basic units that comprise the community.
References
Acierno, R., Hernandez, M., Amstadter, A., Resnick, H., Steve, K., Muzzy, W., and Kilpatrick, D. (2010). Prevalence and Correlates of Emotional, Physical, Sexual, and Financial Abuse and Potential Neglect in the United States: The National Elder Mistreatment Study. American Journal of Public Health. 100(2): 292-297.
English, D., Marshall, D. and Stewart, A. (2003). Effects of Family Violence on Child Behavior and Health During Early Childhood. Journal of Family Violence, 18(1): 43-57.
Gemeay, E. and El Kayal, M. (2011). Impact of elderly abuse on their life satisfaction. Journal of US-China Medical Science, 8(3): 167-174.
Lamont, A. (2010). Effects of child abuse and neglect for children and adolescents. National Child Protection Clearinghouse. Retrieved from https://www.theactgroup.com.au/documents/EffectsofChildAbuseandNeglectforChildren andAdolescents.pdf
Stanley, N., Miller, P., Foster, H. and Thomson, G. (2010). Children and families experiencing domestic violence: Police and children’s social services’ responses. Retrieved from https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/children-families- experiencing-domestic-violence-report.pdf
Woods. S. and Gill, J. (2011). Family violence: Long-term health consequences of trauma. In Humphreys, J., & Campbell, J. Eds. Family violence and nursing practice. New York: Springer Pub. Co.
