ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the needs of infants who have witnessed family violence in therapeutic encounters with them and their families: experience of the effects of violence exposure depends on factors such as the infant's age, and relationship with the perpetrator. It also explores that the infant being present when his mother's issues around family violence seems to help both mother and infant move forward rather than becoming marooned. Some infants seem to remember traces of traumatic events from the earliest months and young infants can show in play what they have experienced. Feeling that a parent is powerless to protect them results in a traumatic shattering of safety. Relational encounters can give an infant a respite from trying to process attachment trauma that feels overwhelming. When talking to young infants about events, something gets communicated. The earlier an infant has opportunities to start connecting words with what happened, the more helpful.
