Violence

Learn about the effects and treatments of perpetrators and victims of violence...

Many experts agree that violence is a learned trait. Violence can affect a person’s life in various ways; as a victim, a witness, through media, or acting violently towards others.

Psychologists and counselors are concerned about the effects of violence on children in particular. If people are exposed to violence at a young age their chance of a healthy development is at risk. Sometimes the effects can cause post-traumatic stress disorder and interfere with their core developmental need of feeling safe.

All violence has some form of lasting consequences even the seemingly harmless acts shown by the media. Most children will witness this form of violence in their lives; by the time a child turns eighteen, they will have seen 200,000 violent acts and 40,000 murders.1 Seeing these things day after day causes kids to become desensitized to violent actions and the victims. It can also encourage aggressive behavior and harden them to the feelings of others.

Other forms of violence have a stronger and longer lasting impact such as domestic violence. When young children experience violence, they lack the ability to understand these situations and will often blame themselves and internalize their feelings. As the child gets older, they will show signs of rebelliousness, fighting at school and overall aggressive behaviors. Once they reach adolescence, they are more likely to do poorly in school with a higher likelihood of dropping out and abusing drugs and alcohol. Many violent adults have childhoods that follow this pattern.

Counselors and school psychologists play one of the biggest parts of disrupting a path towards violence. Counselors have the proper training to recognize symptoms in children who have been subject to violent situations, and with the additional help from teachers and parents, they can get the help they need. Treatment for children who have been exposed to violence can be complicated, sifting through feelings of guilt and anger can take years.

Sometimes, drastic measures are needed in order to change a current situation. Shelters and hotlines are available in almost every community to help women and their children escape domestic violence. If the option of leaving does not exist, these organizations can provide information about how to help children communicate their feelings and keep them safer.

Growing up with violence can leave lasting scars. Counseling and support groups for those who have gone through similar turmoil can be very helpful. More often than not, domestic violence leaves a family feeling captive in their own home with no viable options out. Counselors and therapists are the ones who are reaching out to these people and offering resources to potentially change the outcome of their children’s lives.

Find out how you can become involved, request information from schools offering Psychology degree programs. Also, learn more about the psychology career licensing processes and what the requirements for licensure are: Psychology Career Licensure.

Resources:
1www.mediafamily.org