Protect The Children
Dear Priscilla Bennett Friends,
I hope you had a restful weekend. Now it’s the start of a new week, and I wanted to share more on the effects of domestic violence on children. They are the innocent victims that don’t understand what is happening—filled with fear, helplessness and self-blame—they try to find their way through this horrible maze.
One girl remembers her mother on the ground after her father threw her there. She was terrified and didn’t know what to do. Always scared of her father—to disappoint him, not be obedient and trigger a rage—always worried about her mother’s safety, she had trouble functioning in school and showed signs of depression, low self-esteem and anxiety. Now as a young adult her relationships are affected. She doesn’t trust, she’s terrified of men and has tolerated more abusive behavior than she should have in her adult life because it has seemed normal.
In my novel, SOMETHING TO BE BRAVE FOR, Katie’s young daughter Rose witnesses her mother being beaten and thrown to the floor in her bedroom. Rose screams to have her father stop to no avail. She cannot stop him, heal her mother or control when it will happen again and feels it is her fault.
Some of the negative effects of children who have come from domestic violence situations are post-traumatic stress disorder, anger issues, anxiety and a hard time in school and getting along with other children. Some places to get help include Children’s Justice Center and Brigham Young University’s Comprehensive Clinic.
Take good care of yourselves,
PRISCILLA BENNETT XOXO