DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Its Effects on a Child.

He cringed when he was told his role in a drama that will be performed in his school. His countenance should have been bright and full of excitement, since the school seldom carryout the aforementioned activity.

Bryan, happens to come from a family were domestic violence is at its peak. When he was told his role (as an angry father) in the upcoming drama, he shouted, “NO! I’m not going to act that part,” he went further to give his reasons for saying that, he said at home, his father always beats his mother at every little provocation. His teacher was stunned not just at his comments but when other pupils were randomly talking about how their parents fought at home.

A home where domestic violence is the order of the day, will in no time affect a child negatively. Bryan felt so bad when he was told he was to act as an angry father who will be quarrelling with his wife and always making sure he is not happy with anything she does. Truth be told, what he sees at home is a fraction of the role he was supposed to play. After so many persuasion that his role was just for the drama, his teacher forthwith changed his role, the gloominess suddenly disappeared from his face, he was excited and felt so happy that his role has been changed.

The negative effects of domestic violence on a child, cannot be exaggerated. A home should be a place where children are taught the differences between nurture and torture. A home is where children are shown and given the nitty-gritties of a peaceful home.

As we browse through the internet, read through the dailies, etc., the rate at which domestic violence has risen is far beyond one could have ever imagined. What flummoxes me the most is, these set of couples who are perpetrators of domestic violence are not strangers, they agreed to get married, why the domestic violence? Most times I ponder and wonder, why domestic violence is on the increase in our society.

It is detrimental for a child to be exposed to domestic violence at a very young age, the psychological trauma, the mental effects, inferiority complex, early exposure to other forms of violence are just few out of the numerous negative effects domestic violence will have on a child. Children need to be shown the path of love, the garden of joy, the field of hope, but it’s unfortunate that the opposite is what some of these children have been exposed to.

Parents should as much as possible say NO to domestic violence. Of a truth these parents are not above mistakes, no one is perfect, in fact they both noticed their imperfections and differences before they tied the knot. When there is love, there is forgiveness, when there is love, there is peace, when there is love, there is tolerance. A child who is shown the path of peace in the home will be pleased.