What Effects Does Family Violence Have On Children in Australia?

There are usually various definitions of family violence, and as per the Family Act Law 1975, family violence is defined as the threatening, violent or similar behaviour by an individual that controls a member of the individual’s family. It also causes the family member to be careful at all times.

Before you look to hire a family violence lawyer for your case, you must know about the various behaviours of family violence. Family violence behaviours include various forms of violence, including sexual violence, financial violence, cultural/religious violence and also physical violence. In this specific blog, you will learn about the various effects of family violence on children.

Few Examples of Violent Behaviours in Families?

Some of the behaviours that can constitute family violence include:

• Physical assault
• Destruction of property
• Not allowing access to medical care
• Threats to harm pets
• Unwanted sexual pets
• Making intimidating or humiliating comments
• Not providing access to important items or money
• Not allowing participation in any religious or cultural activity
• Stalking using technology or physically
• Using or threatening to use the system to cause either financial or psychological harm

The Family Act (s 4B) can also provide various examples in this regard.

What Kind of Impact Does Family Violence Have on Children?

Growing up in an environment where there is family violence can profoundly impact a child’s life. Other than the risk of physical harm, family violence can also affect a child’s well-being in a number of areas:

• Emotional
• Social
• Educational
• Developmental
• Behavioural.

How Do Children Experience Family Violence?

Children can experience family violence directly and indirectly, and people often hire child support lawyers in such cases. The various ways in which family violence is perpetrated often involve behaviours that directly target children to inflict harm on the victim’s parent or parents.

Family violence behaviours that are directed at a child’s parent also have bad consequences for the children. Family violence is not only an adult form of violence, but the decision to inflict this type of violence is also a decision about the type of parent that an individual will be.

In What Ways Does Family Violence Affect Parenting?

Parents that perpetuate family violence have parenting styles such as the following:

• They show a lack of warmth
• They are not consistent with discipline
• They use manipulative and coercive tactics
• They use harsh discipline
• They usually have expressions of anger towards their children
• There is a lack of involvement in routine parenting tasks
• They usually blame others rather than take responsibility for their own behaviour
• Such a parent or partner usually undermines the other parent.

Family violence can also have a negative effect on the parenting behaviours of the particular parent to whom the violence is directed; they include:

• Changing the way of the parent to appease the perpetrator
• It causes them to be much less available to meet a child’s needs due to the demands placed upon them by the perpetrator.
• It causes them to experience anxiety, depression and other forms of mental health problems that can affect their parenting ability or capacity.

It is essential that you understand that sometimes parents that are survivors/victims of family violence can behave in ways that are not consistent with good parenting practices. But when they are looked at more closely, the behaviours can protect a child from any serious harm.

Are There Different Ways in Which Children Can Be Affected or Impacted By Family Violence?

Other than the child being directly exposed to trauma and risks to physical safety. It can lead to the effects that FV usually have on parenting behaviours. Family violence also has an impact on a child’s life via indirect outcomes of the violence like:

• Housing instability
• Financial insecurity
• Educational disruptions
• Loss of contact with extended family members.

What Are the Factors That Can Help Safeguard Children From the Impacts of Family Violence?

It is not necessary that all children are affected by family violence in the same manner. There are different factors that express that someone is protective of children, like:

• A non-violent parent can provide structure, emotional support, warmth and a positive reinforcement
• Positive support from other adults outside the immediate family, like family, friends, relatives and teachers
• Supportive and close sibling relationships
• Unique characteristics of a child, such as resilience and personality
• To be able to maintain regular routines like attendance at school or extra activities such as sports.

Does Any Kind of Family Violence Impact Children After Their Parents Separate?

Before you choose to hire child custody lawyers for your child, you must know that the risks to children do not stop after the separation of parents. Family violence can continue to happen after the parents separate, and for many people, family separation is a time when family violence has more potential to increase. In some families, separation is usually the time when family violence can begin.

What Are Some Essential Things For You to Know About?

Some of the essential things that you must know about regarding family violence are as follows:

• Many Australian children are exposed to family and domestic violence.
• Domestic and family violence often affects a child’s physical and mental well-being. In such cases, the development and schooling of the child are affected.
• Family and domestic violence often happen alongside child sexual abuse. This form of co-occurrence requires specific attention in practice and policy.
• The intersecting policy jurisdictions of child protection, domestic violence and family law usually complicate policy responses to children exposed to family and domestic violence.
• The therapeutic responses to children exposed to family and domestic violence must include working with mothers and children to enhance attachment.

Contact Family Lawyers Perth WA

If you require help keeping your child in custody from the other parent, you will have to take the help of top child custody lawyers. Contact Family Lawyers Perth WA, to get the best lawyers who can help you in all the legal processes to ensure that the child remains with you and avoid being in contact with any form of violence.