FCRC offers individual, group, and family counseling to children who have witnessed or have been a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault/abuse and/or physical abuse. Counselors bring a broad range of knowledge and experience to the services offered and also serve as advocates to address the needs of the children in the community. They work with school systems, the courts, Department of Social Services, Archway, and other community services. Advocates work to ensure that the impact of abuse on the child is recognized and services are provided in the best interest of the child.
Children in homes where domestic violence occurs may directly or indirectly receive injuries. They may be hurt when household items are thrown or weapons are used. Infants may be injured when being held by their mother when the abuser strikes out; older children may be hurt while trying to protect the victim. Approximately 90% of children are aware of domestic violence in their home. Regardless of whether children are physically abused, the emotional effects of witnessing domestic abuse can be very severe. Some of the emotional effects of domestic violence on children include:
- constant anxiety
- guilt for not being able to stop the abuse or for loving the abuser
- taking responsibility for the abuse
- fear of abandonment
- anger about violence and chaos in their lives
- depression
- difficulty concentrating that may be misdiagnosed as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
- speech/language problems, developmental delay, and stress related physical ailments
Child sexual assault/abuse is a national problem on the rise. It involves a wide range of sexual activity committed against children under the age of 18. Sexual assault/abuse can be physical, verbal, or emotional and includes:
- sexual touching
- fondling
- exposing a child to any adult sexual activity, pornographic movies/photographs
- obscene phone calls
- voyeurism
- forced prostitution
- exhibitionism
- oral contact
- rape or attempted rape
- sexual harassment
While the effects are not fully known, your child may experience:
- low self-esteem
- destructive acting-out behaviors
- self-destructive behaviors
- loneliness, alienation, and isolation
- sexual dysfunction
- difficulty parenting their own children
- risk for substance abuse
The main goal of children’s counseling is to provide children with a safe, therapeutic environment to counteract the negative effects of abuse. It will also allow for open expressions of feelings, help build self-esteem, help children develop appropriate behaviors, lend support while reassuring the child that he/she is not to blame, assist the child in developing healthy coping strategies, and assist in strengthening non-abusive family relationships.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE • RAPE/SEXUAL ASSAULT • CHILD SERVICES
CROSSROADS • ABUSE INTERVENTION |
