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The Devastating Effects of Domestic Violence on Children

Posted by Joseph D. Lento | Jul 27, 2024 | 0 Comments

When children grow up exposed to or subject to violence in the home, they can experience both short-term and long-term effects on their physical and mental health. The sooner you, as their parent, can safely get your children out of the situation, the less likely they are to suffer long-lasting harm to their well-being.

If you are in a domestic violence situation and have children, it is crucial that you begin taking the necessary steps to remove all of you from the volatile atmosphere as soon as possible. While getting out may feel scary and overwhelming, the dedicated Lento Law Firm Family Law Team is ready to help you move forward, whether it's filing for a restraining order or a divorce. Contact us online or call 888-535-3686 to get us on your side today.

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Domestic Violence on Children

In addition to their physical safety being in jeopardy, children living in an unpredictable, violent home may suffer from a variety of emotional and mental issues, including feeling nervous, anxious, and fearful. These emotions may manifest in different ways, including:

  • Regression to younger behavior, such as bedwetting, thumb-sucking, or sleeping troubles
  • Severe separation anxiety
  • Physical symptoms of anxiety, such as stomachaches and headaches
  • Withdrawal from friends and activities
  • Increased fighting
  • Skipping school
  • Engaging in risky behaviors

Additionally, children exposed to domestic violence are also more prone to depression. If you are seeing any of these behaviors in your children, it is all the more important for you to take action to remove all of you from danger.

While all of these behaviors can become long-term problems if not addressed, children who grew up in abusive homes also run higher risks of both mental and physical health problems as adults. These potential issues include depression, anxiety, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Moreover, children who have witnessed or experienced domestic violence are also more likely to repeat the cycle as adults. Boys who have seen their mothers being abused are 10 times more likely to inflict abuse on their female partners in adulthood. Girls who have seen their mothers abused are more than six times as likely to be sexually abused as girls who did not grow up in an abusive home.

Protecting Yourself and Your Children

Making sure you and your children are safe from harm is your most important objective. The Lento Law Firm Family Law Team can help ensure your safety by guiding you through the process of filing a restraining order in New Jersey and, if you're ready, to file for divorce.

You and your children deserve to feel safe in your home. If you are in a domestic violence situation and would like help in taking steps toward a healthier, safer future, the Lento Law Firm Family Law Team is just a message or phone call away. Contact us online or call 888-535-3686 to get us on your side today.

About the Author

Joseph D. Lento

"I pride myself on having heart and driving hard to get results!" Attorney Joseph D. Lento is a veteran of one of the nation's busiest family courts with nearly 20 years' experience passionately helping families. By day, he worked in the trenches of family court, and at night, he studied the law. He helped countless families while working at family court, and he went on to become an attorney, dedicating his law practice to continuing the work he started years earlier. Mr. Lento's experience both behind the scenes and on the front lines allows him to understand a client's family law matter from all angles, and allows him to find and employ the most effective strategies to get favorable outcomes for any client. Joseph D. Lento is licensed in New Jersey and New York, and is admitted pro hac vice as needed nationwide. In the courtroom and in life, attorney Joseph D. Lento stands up when the bell rings! He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and protects their interests.

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Contact a Family Law Attorney Today!

Attorney Joseph D. Lento has more than a decade of experience practicing Family Law in New Jersey. If you are having any uncertainties about what the future may hold for you and your family, contact our offices today. Family Law Attorney Joseph Lento will go above and beyond the needs for any client and fight for what is fair.

This website was created only for general information purposes. It is not intended to be construed as legal advice for any situation. Only a direct consultation with a licensed Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York attorney can provide you with formal legal counsel based on the unique details surrounding your situation. The pages on this website may contain links and contact information for third party organizations - the Lento Law Firm does not necessarily endorse these organizations nor the materials contained on their website. In Pennsylvania, Attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout Pennsylvania's 67 counties, including, but not limited to Philadelphia, Allegheny, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill, and York County. In New Jersey, attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout New Jersey's 21 counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren County, In New York, Attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout New York's 62 counties. Outside of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, unless attorney Joseph D. Lento is admitted pro hac vice if needed, his assistance may not constitute legal advice or the practice of law. The decision to hire an attorney in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania counties, New Jersey, New York, or nationwide should not be made solely on the strength of an advertisement. We invite you to contact the Lento Law Firm directly to inquire about our specific qualifications and experience. Communicating with the Lento Law Firm by email, phone, or fax does not create an attorney-client relationship. The Lento Law Firm will serve as your official legal counsel upon a formal agreement from both parties. Any information sent to the Lento Law Firm before an attorney-client relationship is made is done on a non-confidential basis.

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