Domestic violence
The term ‘domestic violence’ is used in many countries to refer to partner violence ... but the term
can also encompass child or elder abuse, or abuse by any member of a household.
Child maltreatment
Child maltreatment (WHO definition)
“Child maltreatment is the abuse and neglect that occurs to children under 18 years of age. It
includes all types of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect,
negligence and commercial or other exploitation, which results in actual or potential harm to
the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of
responsibility, trust or power.”
“Exposure to intimate partner violence is also sometimes included as a form of child
maltreatment”
o zij zien dit gebeuren (witness) this has an impact on neurological level (changes in
the brain)
Key facts WHO
• Nearly 3 in 4 children - or 300 million children - aged 2–4 years regularly suffer physical
punishment and/or psychological violence at the hands of parents and caregivers
• 1 in 5 women and 1 in 13 men report having been sexually abused as a child aged 0-17 years.
• 120 million girls and young women under 20 years of age have suffered some form of forced
sexual contact.
“Childhood maltreatment is generally highly prevalent across the world” Intimate partner
violence (IPV)
Short term consequences
• Injury to the body Long term consequences
• Sleeping problems
• ACE-research (Felitti et al., 1998)
• Wetting the bed
• Adverse childhood experiences
• Anxiety
• Psychological abuse
• Low self esteem
• Physical abuse
• Problems to make social contact
• Sexual abuse
• Agressive/withdrawn behavior
• Violence against mother
• Problems to concentrate
• Substance abusing household
members
• Mentally ill or suicidal household
members
• Imprisoned household members
1
, ACE-research (Felitti et al., 1998)
o Their relationship to adverse effects in adult life
4≤ categories of ACE’s:
Alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, suicide attempts (OR 4-12)
o Increased risk
Smoking, poor health in general (OR 2-4)
Sexually transmitted diseases (OR 2-4)
o Transgenerational effect: child-victim can become parent-perpetrator
A child vicitim has more chance tob e a parent who threats their kids the
same.
Violence can be a way of coping, neverending cycle
Neuropsychological consequences
Chronic stress = cortisol = loss of brain cells
Brain is redeveloping from birth. Connections are grown on a rapidly speed. It’s normal that from a
certain age, cells die.
Density: more brain mass
2
The term ‘domestic violence’ is used in many countries to refer to partner violence ... but the term
can also encompass child or elder abuse, or abuse by any member of a household.
Child maltreatment
Child maltreatment (WHO definition)
“Child maltreatment is the abuse and neglect that occurs to children under 18 years of age. It
includes all types of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect,
negligence and commercial or other exploitation, which results in actual or potential harm to
the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of
responsibility, trust or power.”
“Exposure to intimate partner violence is also sometimes included as a form of child
maltreatment”
o zij zien dit gebeuren (witness) this has an impact on neurological level (changes in
the brain)
Key facts WHO
• Nearly 3 in 4 children - or 300 million children - aged 2–4 years regularly suffer physical
punishment and/or psychological violence at the hands of parents and caregivers
• 1 in 5 women and 1 in 13 men report having been sexually abused as a child aged 0-17 years.
• 120 million girls and young women under 20 years of age have suffered some form of forced
sexual contact.
“Childhood maltreatment is generally highly prevalent across the world” Intimate partner
violence (IPV)
Short term consequences
• Injury to the body Long term consequences
• Sleeping problems
• ACE-research (Felitti et al., 1998)
• Wetting the bed
• Adverse childhood experiences
• Anxiety
• Psychological abuse
• Low self esteem
• Physical abuse
• Problems to make social contact
• Sexual abuse
• Agressive/withdrawn behavior
• Violence against mother
• Problems to concentrate
• Substance abusing household
members
• Mentally ill or suicidal household
members
• Imprisoned household members
1
, ACE-research (Felitti et al., 1998)
o Their relationship to adverse effects in adult life
4≤ categories of ACE’s:
Alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, suicide attempts (OR 4-12)
o Increased risk
Smoking, poor health in general (OR 2-4)
Sexually transmitted diseases (OR 2-4)
o Transgenerational effect: child-victim can become parent-perpetrator
A child vicitim has more chance tob e a parent who threats their kids the
same.
Violence can be a way of coping, neverending cycle
Neuropsychological consequences
Chronic stress = cortisol = loss of brain cells
Brain is redeveloping from birth. Connections are grown on a rapidly speed. It’s normal that from a
certain age, cells die.
Density: more brain mass
2
