Children’s feelings may be shown through some of the following behaviours:

  • physical complaints: headaches, stomach aches
  • physical problems: bed wetting, excessive weight loss/gain, hair loss, developmental delays (babies)
  • nervousness: hair-pulling, nailbiting, thumb-sucking, whiny / clingy, emotional outbursts (crying/laughing)
  • temper tantrums: severe and often
  • nightmares: restless sleep, general tiredness
  • aggressiveness: hitting, biting, beating younger siblings and other children
  • withdrawal: extremely quiet, keeping to themselves, lack of response to other children/interests/activities
  • depression: suicide
  • drug and alcohol use or abuse
  • stealing
  • school work: not going to school;, failing grades, can’t concentrate or not doing well in various aspects of school and activities
  • sexual activity
  • running away from home or always wanting to stay at home

Children learn about violence in many ways: their family, watching television, friends and neighbours — but it is family violence that may have the greatest impact on them. Why? Because the parents they love cannot always provide them with the safety, security and nurturing they need.