ABSTRACT
The victimization of women in the privacy of their homes affects those closest to them, particularly their children. Children may be victimized by the same perpetrator or be exposed to the harmful effects of domestic violence. The co-occurrence of child maltreatment and domestic violence (DV) in families has been estimated to range from 30 to 60% (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2000). In a national survey of over 6,000 families, 50% of the men who frequently abused their wives also frequently abused their children (Straus, Gelles, & Smith, 1990). Childhood exposure to DV comes in the form of direct visual observation, overhearing incidents of violence, being directly involved in the incident, and/or experiencing a pattern of coercive behavior directed toward their caregiver (Edleson, 2006). In a review of the literature, Ogbonnaya and Pohle (2013) report “no significant differences in outcomes between children who were solely exposed to DV compared to children who were physically abused or both physically abused and exposed to DV” (p. 1400). This chapter will address efforts by the child welfare system to intervene to protect children in cases that involve DV and the challenges encountered.
