NOA Contact Info
Business Line: 706-864-1306
Crisis Line: 706-864-1986
PO Box 685, Dahlonega, GA 30533
Email NOA now.
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 The goal of the children's program is to help children cope with the trauma of domestic violence. Children are provided with activities which foster cooperation, self-esteem, physical exercise, and personal safety. Children who live in homes where a parent or caretaker is experiencing abuse are commonly referred to as “child witnesses” or “children who are witnessing” domestic violence. Although parents frequently believe they are protecting their children from witnessing their abuse, children living in these homes report differently...
“Researchers have found that 80 to 90 percent of children in homes where domestic violence occurs can provide detailed accounts of the violence in their homes.” – Bragg, H. Lien, Child Protection In Families Experiencing Domestic Violence, 2003, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect.
It is usually pretty easy to tell when a child is happy or excited about something. But, kids have different ways of showing they are stressed. When young children are stressed, they often show their feelings by changing their behavior as they do not have the words or emotional vocabulary to express how they feel.
Possible Symptoms in Children Exposed to Domestic Violence:
- Sleeplessness, fears of going to sleep, nightmares, dreams of danger
- Physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches
- Fighting with others, hurting other children or animals
- Temper tantrums or defiant behavior
- Fears of being separated from the non-abusing parent
- Taking on adult or parental responsibilities
- Bed-wetting or regression to earlier developmental stages
- Identifying with or mirroring behaviors of the abuser
- Hyper-vigilance to danger or being hurt
- Listlessness, depression or decreased energy levels
- Feeling that his or her best is not good enough
- Excessive worrying
- Suicide attempts or engaging in dangerous behavior
- Poor school performance
Children who live with domestic violence face numerous risks, such as the risk of exposure to traumatic events, the risk of neglect, the risk of being directly abused and the risk of losing one or both of their parents. All of these can lead to negative outcomes for children and clearly have an impact on them. NOA’s Children’s Services can help.
Inter-agency Staff Trainings are conducted by the children's advocate on topics such as: The Effects of Trauma on Children and How to Communicate with Child Survivors of Trauma. For more information or to schedule a training, please call 706-867-6420, extension2.
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A Voice for Victims of domestic violence since 1992.
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