Notes On Children And Violence - 2945 Words

Jalen Brown Sociology of Childhood (494) 11.22.14 Children and Violence Children often experience certain situations at a young age that potentially scar them throughout their lives. It is said that a handful of children are victims of assault, and most have witnessed violent acts. When children witness these deviant acts, this creates a dramatic scene that continuously replays in their minds, and it also creates strategies of how children may adjust to their futures. An example of this, let’s take a child who was exposed to some sort of violence, and let’s take a child who wasn’t exposed. The child who was exposed to violence is much more likely to be neglected, and that could lead to abusive relationships when they reach adulthood.†¦show more content†¦How old are these children? Where do they live? Most importantly, what can we do to help them?† (Marchionna 1). I expect to discuss key themes focusing on the effects of these deviant acts experienced by children. I also expect to compare th e children who have been exposed to violence versus the children who haven’t. When thinking about this subject, we have to take in consideration that there is a difference between a child who was a victim of savagery, and a child who was exposed to it. We also can’t forget that the same effects may occur nonetheless if the child were a victim or not. How many children are affected by the violence that goes on in their homes? There is a wide variety of children who suffer from violence in the home behind closed doors. I read that 40 percent are stated to be victims within the home. This type of deviant behavior can exist as early as the infant years in a child’s life. â€Å"Young children who live with domestic violence represent a significantly disempowered group. Developmentally, young children have relatively limited verbal skills and emotional literacy† (Thornton 1). In addition, the effects of this type of violence (domestic) can lead to secr ecy. â€Å"The effects of secrecy can lead to intimidation causing children never to believe they have the emotional support from their caregivers† (Thornton 1). The factors of secrecy, intimidation, and very little emotional support create a restriction that decreases a child’s