[child-rights] Some of the biggest victims of domestic violence are the smallest

New global report reveals impact of domestic violence on children

NEW YORK/LONDON, 1 August 2006 -- A global study published today by UNICEF
and The Body Shop International reveals the devastating and lasting impact
on children of living with domestic violence.

Defining domestic violence as the physical, sexual or mental abuse of a
parent or caregiver, the report finds that the experience of watching,
hearing or otherwise being aware of domestic violence can impact
children’s physical, emotional and social development, both during
childhood and later in life.

In the vast majority of cases, domestic violence is perpetrated against
women. At least one in three women globally has been beaten, coerced into
sex, or abused in some other way-most often by someone she knows,
including by her husband or another male family member. Globally, one
woman in four has been abused during pregnancy. The report turns attention
to the lesser-known facts: the impact on children who are exposed to this
violence.

Based on global data from the United Nations Secretary-General’s
Study on Violence against Children, the report conservatively estimates
that as many as 275 million children are currently exposed to domestic
violence. The fact that domestic violence is chronically underreported and
that some countries have no data at all makes it difficult to quantify how
many children it affects.

"Domestic violence can have a lasting negative impact on children," UNICEF
Executive Director Ann M. Veneman said in New York. "It is critical that
children grow up in safe and stable environments, free of violence."

The Body Shop International is helping to take action against domestic
violence by launching its 2006 Stop Violence in the Home Campaign, which
focuses on children as the forgotten victims.

Dame Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop, added, "Our report shows
that some of the biggest victims of domestic violence are the smallest.
Protecting children should be the absolute concern of everybody who is
working to see an end to domestic violence. We urge everyone to rally
behind this global campaign."

The report finds that children who live with domestic violence not only
endure the distress of being surrounded by violence, but are more likely
to become victims of abuse themselves. An estimated 40 per cent of
child-abuse victims also have reported domestic violence in the home.

Even when children are not physically abused themselves, their exposure to
domestic violence can have severe and lasting effects. The impact begins
early: studies show that younger children are more likely to be exposed to
domestic violence than older children, which can impair their mental and
emotional growth in a critical stage of development.

As they grow up, children who are exposed to domestic violence continue to
face a range of possible effects including trouble with school work,
limited social skills, depression, anxiety and other psychological
problems. They are at greater risk for substance abuse, teenage pregnancy
and delinquent behaviour, according to the report. The report also finds
that the single best predictor of children continuing the cycle of
domestic violence -- either as perpetrators or as victims -- depends on
whether or not they grow up in a home with domestic violence. Research
shows that rates of abuse are higher among women whose husbands were
abused as children or who saw their mothers being abused. Many studies
have also found that children from violent homes show signs of more
aggressive behaviour, such as bullying, and are up to three times more
likely to be involved in fighting.

The report urges governments and societies to pay more attention to the
specific needs of children who live in homes impacted by domestic
violence. It also identifies the need for better monitoring and reporting
on the prevalence of domestic violence in order to shed light on this
hidden issue.

Governments have a vital role to play in breaking the cycle of domestic
violence and protecting the youngest victims of domestic violence, and are
urged to:

* Raise awareness of the impact of domestic violence on children through
public education campaigns and efforts to challenge beliefs and customs
that condone violence.

* Create public policies and laws that protect children. Governments must
enact and enforce laws and policies that criminalize domestic violence and
protect all its victims.

* Improve social services that address the impact of violence in the home
on children. Interventions that support children who are exposed to
domestic violence help minimize the long-term risks to these children and
must be adequately funded and scaled-up.

The Body Shop’s Stop Violence in the Home campaign aims to raise
awareness and to encourage governments to better protect and support
children who are exposed to domestic violence.

UNICEF/The Body Shop Press release