‘There’s a better life out there’: Experts on the impact of domestic violence on children

Children in homes where domestic violence is occurring are often traumatized, even when they are not the target of the violence, but witness it.

Mindy Thiel is the executive director of Chesapeake Counseling Associates. Her practice provides services for children affected by domestic violence through the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Family Justice Center. While she’s also worked with children across the state of Maryland, she said in Montgomery County alone, “There are thousands of protection orders that are issued each year.”

“We have children who have witnessed homicides and suicides. We have had children who’ve witnessed attempted murders,” and overall, Thiel told WTOP, domestic violence “is incredibly common.”

Thiel said when she explains how common domestic violence is, clients feel less alone.

“How much relief that provides for them is incredible,” she said.

And Thiel said there is no sector of society untouched by domestic violence.

“This is something, we have worked with kids in every zip code, at every income level, various religious, cultural, socioeconomic backgrounds,” she said.

One of the reasons the impact of domestic violence carried out by parents, including when it’s directed at their partners, is so damaging, Thiel said, is because, “Our parents are supposed to be our caregivers. Our parents are supposed to be, when we are younger, our means of survival.”

Knowing a parent — or both pare...