Exposure to violence has lasting effects on the minds of the young
Each generation looks to young people to create a brighter future that encourages safe and engaging communities.
This hope begins with healthy children being supported by their families, caregivers, teachers, and community.
Unfortunately, according to a 2015 National Institutes of Health publication, more than two-thirds of children 17-or-younger were either victims or witnesses of violence in the last year.
There are multiple ways that children may become victims of crime, ranging from bullying and harassment at school, to dating violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, child abuse and exposure to domestic violence.
These are issues that happen in our community every day.
These type of traumas, if left unaddressed, can have serious consequences on a child’s health, ability to succeed in school, and ability to positively contribute to the community.
In a different National Institutes of Health study on violence in the United States, researchers found about 30 percent of children reported that they have been bullied in school or in their communities, and 14 percent suffered from mistreatment by a parent or caregiver at home.
They say that 1-in-15 children are exposed to family violence and abuse yearly, or are eyewitnesses to actual violence.
Most families say the fighting doesn’t happen around the children, yet children feel the tension; they feel the stress and they know more than people think — even the little ones.
Research has shown that trauma can impact a child’s brain function, thus, altering their cognitive, emotional and behavioral development. (Key fact here: Children and adolescents who have experienced chronic violence and abuse in the home end up focusing their energy on survival instead of higher reasoning and learning.)
These children see a situation as threatening when others don’t. As a result, they act-out, are prone to violence, and likely to experiment with drugs later on.
These are only a few ways children experience victimization in their own homes and communities.
However, there is hope.
With proper support and understanding from leaders, other adults in the community, schools and other resources, children can avoid lasting damage from the violence they have experienced or witnessed.
Reach out to adult and child victims in this community.
April 7-13 was National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Reach out to your local victim-advocate organizations that assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and other crimes affecting our community — they need your support!
Valerie Tillery is the President of the Tom Green County Coalition Against Violence, and Program Director of the Family Shelter in San Angelo.