ICADV 2018 Illawarra White Ribbon Day walk is held in Shellharbour, Reddall Reserve Lake Illawarra on the 23rd November 2018. The walk will commence at 7.00am, which will be followed by a sausage sizzle BBQ and motivational speakers.
This year we focus on the children affected by domestic violence, the hidden victims.
1 in 4 children is exposed to domestic violence, children who experience domestic violence at home are raised in an unpredictable environment that is filled with fear, tension, and anxiety.
The impact of domestic and family violence on children is immense and can often affect them for the rest of their lives. Children and young people don’t have to see the violence to be affected by it. Domestic Violence can lead to significant emotional and psychological trauma. Instead of growing up in a fun, supportive, relaxing environment that is emotionally and physically safe and secure, these children are forced to worry about the future.
Studies show that living with domestic violence can cause physical and emotional harm to children and young people in the following ways:
- ongoing anxiety and depression
- emotional distress
- eating and sleeping disturbances
- physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach aches
- find it hard to manage stress
- low self-esteem
- self-harm
- be aggressive towards friends and schoolmates
- feel guilty or blame themselves for the violence
- have trouble forming positive relationships
- develop phobias and insomnia
- struggle with going to school and doing school work
- use bullying behaviour or become a target of bullying
- difficulty concentrating
- find it hard to solve problems
- have less empathy and caring for others
Young people exposed to domestic and family violence are more likely to:
- suffer from depression
- be homeless
- abuse drugs and alcohol
- engage in risk-taking behaviours
- experience or use violence and be controlling and manipulative in relationships
