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Full text of the petition
How do children experience domestic violence?
What are we calling for?
We, the undersigned, call on the UK Government and devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland to see domestic violence from a child's point of view.
Witnessing domestic violence causes children serious emotional harm, and in homes where there is domestic violence, children may also be physically and sexually abused themselves. We want to see:
• services for all children and families affected, to keep them safe and supported, and to help them overcome the effects of violence
• improved training for professionals so that they identify children and young people caught up in violence
• children learn in schools about domestic violence and how to stay safe
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Children can experience domestic violence in many ways:
• seeing the violence or hearing shouts and crying from another room
• intervening between the abuser and other person, sometimes getting physically hurt in the process
• being deliberately injured in order to terrorise the non-abusive parent
• domestic violence can sometimes reduce the non-abusive parent’s ability to look after their children, and so the relationship between them and their children can suffer.
It’s important to remember that children exposed to violence will react in different ways, and not every child who witnesses abuse will experience long-term difficulties.
But all children have the right to protection from violence and access to support.
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The NSPCC is calling for the UK Government and devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland to tackle domestic violence from a child’s point of view.
We want to see:
1. Domestic violence: a child’s point of view (PDF, 116KB)
2. Support services for children and families affected by domestic violence (England) (PDF, 108KB)
3. Training for professionals to identify children living with domestic violence (England) (PDF, 108KB)
4. The role of schools in addressing domestic violence (PDF, 92KB)
5. Children experiencing domestic violence in South Asian communities (PDF, 88KB)
6. Domestic violence perpetrator programmes (PDF, 100KB)
The NSPCC will make sure your voices are heard by the UK Government and devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland.
When you sign the NSPCC’s petition, you’ll be helping us to call for the following things:
Adequate support services so that when a child is brave enough to speak out, they know they’ll be safe and supported.
Education about domestic violence in schools and other youth settings so all children learn that the violence is not their fault, and how to stay safe.
Training for professionals to identify children living with domestic violence so that they can get help for the children who are affected.
The petition will be presented to the UK government and devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales.
Please sign the NSPCC’s petition now
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Kate is an NSPCC campaign supporter who wrote to us recently about her own experiences of domestic violence in childhood.
In her letter Kate explained how she and her brother had witnessed domestic violence between their parents. She said,
“It started off as just shouting and arguing…until one night my mother ended up unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. I would tend to Mum’s cuts while my brother curled up in my bed.”
Kate described the terrible emotional impact a child suffers as a result. She wrote, “My brother has been utterly affected by what he saw. He doesn’t trust anybody, he lacks self-confidence and is unable to form relationships.”
Kate believes that some form of support could have made all the difference for her brother. She told me: “For a long time I felt confused...Was I just as bad as [my dad]? How could I love someone who hits my mum?”
Remember, at least 750,000 children are growing up in a similar situation right now. By signing our petition now, you can make a difference for them.
Sign the NSPCC's petition now
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Related media work
NSPCC survey shows children fearing domestic violence at Christmas
Thousands of children are hurt trying to stop arguments between adults at home says NSPCC
Worried about a child?
For more information about the NSPCC's domestic violence campaign, contact Jane Tully, Public Affairs Advisor: jtully@nspcc.org.uk, 020 7825 1386
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Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Incorporated by Royal Charter. Registered charity number 216401. NSPCC, charity registered in Scotland, charity number SC037717.