Rifat Ali Fatima
Gender-based violence (GBV) is an ever-present reality in many communities, yet it remains a topic shrouded in silence. While its direct impact on women is often acknowledged, the effect it has on the early development of children is rarely spoken about. These children are not just bystanders; they are silent victims, absorbing the trauma around them and often replicating the cycle as they grow.
This blog delves into the intersection of gender-based violence and early childhood development—how patriarchal norms and violent environments shape a child’s mental health and identity, often leaving lifelong scars.
The Invisible Witnesses: Children in Violent Homes
Children who grow up in homes affected by GBV may not bear physical wounds, but they carry emotional trauma that affects their entire lives. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 3 to 10 million children witness domestic violence each year. These children are at increased risk of developing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and low self-esteem (AACAP, 2023).
Further, a 2023 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that early exposure to violence has long-term consequences on brain development, particularly in areas responsible for emotional regulation and decision-making (PMC10213576).
From Observation to Internalization
Violence, when normalized in the household, becomes a part of a child’s internal belief system. Girls growing up in such environments may begin to accept subjugation as a norm, believing that suffering and silence are integral to womanhood. Boys, on the other hand, may learn that dominance, control, and emotional detachment are symbols of masculinity.
This is how patriarchy embeds itself—generation after generation—fueling cycles of emotional neglect, inequality, and violence. As per a 2023 review published in BMC Women’s Health, up to 98% of women in some regions report experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetime, often in the presence of their children (PMC10682135). These statistics are not just numbers—they represent homes, families, and futures shaped by trauma.
A Woman Without a Roof: The Emotional Displacement
In Indian society, a woman is often referred to as paraya dhan (someone else’s property) in her natal home and bahar wali (an outsider) in her in-laws’ home. This dual alienation reflects a deeper societal mindset—that a woman, no matter where she is, never truly belongs.
From her birth to her death, a woman is expected to adapt, adjust, and compromise. Rarely does she find a space where she feels fully accepted or valued as an individual. This constant emotional displacement doesn’t just affect the woman—it deeply influences the children who grow up watching her journey of suppression and invisibility.
What are we teaching our daughters? That they will never own their space? And our sons? That women are transient, replaceable, and less deserving of autonomy?
Long-Term Consequences on Mental Health and Relationships
Children exposed to GBV often grow up with impaired emotional regulation, low self-confidence, and a distorted sense of identity. Their future relationships are affected—they may struggle with trust, boundaries, and conflict resolution.
These outcomes are not only psychological but also social. A child exposed to violence may underperform academically, withdraw socially, or exhibit aggressive behaviors. In the long term, this creates a ripple effect in communities—normalizing toxic relationships, perpetuating inequality, and weakening the fabric of emotional safety within families.
So, Where Does a Woman Truly Belong?
This question haunts me as I reflect on the lived realities of so many women across our society. A woman struggles to find a place that is truly hers. And the children watching her journey internalize the same uncertainty, the same pain.
Is it not time we, as a society, reconsidered our definitions of family, home, and belonging?
Breaking the Cycle: What Can Be Done
- Start Early with Gender Education: Introducing conversations around gender roles, respect, and emotional intelligence in early childhood education is key. Children should grow up questioning inequality, not accepting it.
- Support Women’s Agency and Autonomy: Empowering women to make decisions, access resources, and seek help without stigma creates a culture of strength, not silence.
- Provide Child-Centered Mental Health Services: Accessible mental health support for children exposed to violence can interrupt the cycle before it continues into adulthood.
- Community Engagement and Awareness: Through collective storytelling, public discourse, and education, we can begin to reshape societal norms.
Conclusion: Let’s Talk, Think, and Act
Gender-based violence is not a women’s issue—it is a human issue. It is a developmental issue. And it is an intergenerational issue.
Let’s not wait for trauma to become destiny. Let’s acknowledge the children watching, listening, and learning. Let’s challenge the systems that deny women a place of belonging. And most importantly, let’s begin the conversation—because silence is complicity.
Sources
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2023). Helping Children Exposed to Domestic Violence. Link
- Meltzer, H. et al. (2023). The Mental Health of Children Who Witness Domestic Violence, IJERPH. PMC10213576
- UN Women & WHO (2022). Violence Against Women Prevalence Estimates, 2018
- BMC Women’s Health (2023). Domestic Violence and Its Impact on Generations. PMC10682135
About the contributor: Rifat Ali Fatima is a fellow at EGBVF Ending Gender-based Violence Fellowship at IMPRI and a a trained psychologist and public health researcher and currently is a Research Associate at ARMMAN
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
Read more at IMPRI:
The Dark Side of Migration: Trafficking of Women for Domestic Labour in Jharkhand
The Healing Frontline: How Healthcare Professionals Can Help End Gender-Based Violence
Acknowledgment: This article was posted by Bhaktiba Jadeja, visiting researcher and assistant editor at IMPRI.
