Intimate partner violence undermines children's physical, mental health: Aussie researchers

SYDNEY, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers found children exposed to intimate partner violence from infancy were twice as likely to have impaired language skills and emotional and behavioral difficulties at age of 10, prompting the call for more early intervention.

The study, led by Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and published in the BMJ journal on Thursday, involved 1,507 first-time mothers and their first-born children from six public maternity hospitals in Melbourne. It discovered that more than one in four of them were suffered from intimate partner violence during the first 10 years after the child's birth.

Researchers found that half of all children with language difficulties, and mental and physical health problems have been exposed to intimate partner violence. The research also revealed that children subjected to this violence were also more likely to have asthma and sleep problems, and in the year they turned 10 were two to three times more likely to have mental issues, elevated blood pressure and sleep difficulties.

MCRI Professor Stephanie Brown said intimate partner was the most common form of violence against women and their children. "It's not limited to physical and sexual violence and is often characterised by a pattern of psychological control and coercion. Children may pick up on this and experience constant fear or anxiety at home."

"The impact of COVID-19 has increased pressures on families and heightened the need for more effective intervention and support for women and children experiencing domestic abuse."

Professor Brown said that many women experiencing intimate partner violence were unsure about seeking support from family health and social care services.

"If child health and social services do not recognise and respond to intimate partner violence as a potential contributing factor to poor child health outcomes, interventions to support children with health and developmental problems are likely to be less effective."