| Age: Womb -- 1 Year |
Ways of being drawn in |
Effects of abuse |
|
Seeing it |
physical injuries |
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Hearing it |
death |
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Being woken up from sleep |
fright |
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Being harmed by it (in utero) |
being traumatized |
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Being ripped out of mother's arms by abuser |
sleep disturbances |
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Having toys broken |
eating disturbances |
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Miscarriage |
being colicky/sick |
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Premature birth |
nervous, jumpy |
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Being hit while in the mother's arms |
crying a lot |
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not being responsive or cuddly |
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insecurity from being carded for by a traumatized mother |
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| Age: 2 -- 4 Years |
Ways of being drawn in |
Effects of abuse |
|
Seeing it |
speech problems |
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Hearing it |
verbalizes witnessing abuse |
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Tries to stop altercation |
acts out violently |
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Hits parents |
withdrawn |
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Becoming abused themselves |
problems relating to other children |
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delayed toileting |
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eating problems |
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being nervous, jumpy |
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sleep problems |
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insecurity |
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fear |
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depression |
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| Age: 5 -- 12 Years |
Ways of being drawn in |
Effects of abuse |
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Sees and hears it |
insecurity, low self-esteem |
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Picks one parent to defend |
depression, withdrawal |
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Physically intervenes |
running away |
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Calls the police |
interest in alcohol or drugs |
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school problems |
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becomes an over-achiever |
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bed-wetting |
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sexual activity |
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becomes caretaker of adults |
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becomes violent-prone |
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develops problems to divert parents from fighting |
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becomes embarrassed of his/her family |
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| Age: Teen Years |
Ways teen boys are drawn in |
Ways teen girls are drawn in |
|
Kills or tries to kill the perpetrator |
becomes physically abused herself by the perpetrator |
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Tries to otherwise intervene
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Effects of abuse on both girls and boys |
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School problems |
alcohol and/or drug problems |
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Social problems |
confusion about gender roles |
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Shame and embarrassment about his/her family |
sexual activity |
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Tendency to get serious in relationships too early in order to escape home |
truancy |
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Depression
|
poor school performance |
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Specific effects on teen boys |
Specific effects on teen girls |
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Learns that males are violent |
learns that male violence is normal |
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Learns to disrespect women |
learns that women get no respect |
|
uses violence in his own relationships |
may accepts violence in her own relationship |
|
attacks mother or father |
embarrassed about being female |
|
contributes to teenage pregnancy |
becomes pregnant |