The Impact on Children Facts to Consider Children who witness the assault of their mothers can also be seriously affected. They are at risk of being assaulted themselves, of developing adjustment problems during childhood and adolescence, and of continuing the cycle of violence.
Violent behaviour is learned.
Children exposed to wife assault have similar adjustment problems as children who are themselves physically abused. Serious behaviour problems are 17 times higher for boys and 10 times higher for girls who have witnessed wife assault than for other children. After group counselling, none of the children supported a man hitting a women. Not all children who grow up in violent homes repeat their parents' behaviour.