Whether or not the children are physically abused, they will always suffer emotional and mental trauma from living in a violent family.
- Children raised in abusive homes may believe that violence is the way to resolve problems.
- Children may have problems eating and sleeping due to stress. They end up suffering from lack of sleep and nutrition.
- Children may slip back into more childish behaviors, such as thumb-sucking, nail-biting and bed-wetting.
- The stress can cause them to do poorly in school and have problems getting along with other children.
- Children are more likely to have stress related ailments such as: headaches, ulcers, stomach aches and rashes.
- Children often have problems with depression, anxiety, fear and guilt that they carry into their adult life.
- They may live in constant fear of injury to their parent or themselves.
- They may have mixed feelings and feel guilty that they still love the abuser.
- Teenagers may run away, be involved in juvenile crime or enter abusive relationships themselves.