We’re Glad You’re Here

Exposure to domestic abuse as a child can have long-lasting impact on a young person and it is vital that professionals from the policing, education and other agencies work together to support them as quickly after an incident as possible. A new program will be rolling out in England and Wales in order to create a line of communication between school officials and law enforcement to lessen the...

Every April, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we come together to put the spotlight on child abuse, which impacts 1+ million children in the U.S. every year. But what we don’t talk about can still hurt them. It is the major precursors to Child Abuse that can also be major pathways for prevention – and one in particular: Childhood Domestic Violence (CDV). Here’s a startling fact: “Child...

"If it's something that you can prevent, then…you're learning from your past what not to do with your child," said Cindy Lau, Regional Violence Prevention Planner, St. Mary Corwin. The SCAN Program at Southern Colorado Family Medicine at the St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center has begun to screen it's patients for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's ), like CDV in order to prevent history from...

“Childhood domestic violence (CDV) gets lumped together with domestic violence and/or child abuse…It’s a real distinct and separate childhood adversity.” -Dr. Linda Olson, clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, Chairwoman of our Georgia Chapter Read this woman's beautiful account of growing up with CDV with insight from the Chairwoman of our Georgia Chapter, Dr. Linda Olson.  Read the...

Discovering LOVE after Childhood Domestic Violence: Giving and Receiving Love is at the Heart of Reaching Your Full Potential Valentine’s Day is a holiday intended to reaffirm our love for others and their love for us. But, for those of us who grow up experiencing adversity in childhood, such as Childhood Domestic Violence, love is often a difficult, confusing, and uncomfortable emotion –...

Poet Tre Wharton used his talent to cope with CDV by expressing in verse what living with his stepfather’s violence was like. This poem is just one of about forty poems he wrote about CDV in his new book Grown Folk Business.  A Daughter’s Perspective The door shuts Like the eyes of the giant That torment her sleep. She listens anxiously as his steps Fade down the tenement hallway. Never before...

By Tina Shelton A first year medical student at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) decided to share her story of growing up with domestic violence, recounting a night in her household as a childhood. Although she chose to remain anonymous, she allowed classmates to share her story. Hear her story HERE. Source: hawaii.edu

By Katy Macek A family support center in Chippewa County, Michigan, is offering counseling to children ages 5-17 who grew up living with domestic violence. They recognize the significant impact of Childhood Domestic Violence on a child's life, as it significantly rewires the brain and affects behavior. The counseling provides children with the tools to gain resiliency and security. Read more...

By Melissa Jeltsen This article shares the story of Ryan, a 17 year old boy at Camp HOPE America – a summer camp created specifically to help children who grew up living with domestic violence. It describes how spending a summer at the camp working with its founder, Casey Gwinn, allowed him to gain confidence and resilience through building relationships with other campers and the counselors. To...

By Geetika Mantri This article out of India proves that Childhood Domestic Violence has no cultural, racial, or ethnic boundaries. It shares the stories of two children who grew up living with domestic violence, highlighting many of the LIES learned and emphasizing the importance of education and intervention. Children who grow up in these homes can either internalize the violence, becoming...