Witnessing Domestic Violence in Childhood Can Have Lifelong Consequences

A survey of more than 17,700 adults revealed that among those who were exposed to chronic parental domestic violence during childhood, 22.5% had major depression later in life, 15% suffered from anxiety, and nearly 27% had a substance disorder—all of which are rates significantly higher than those seen in the general population. Study author Dr. Esme Fuller-Thomson notes, “Our findings underline the risk of long-term negative outcomes of chronic domestic violence for children, even when the children themselves are not abused.” Journal of Family Violence, April 2022