WHEN STAYING HOME IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS

As more children around the nation are now forced to stay home due to strict quarantine regulations, the risk of physical abuse is greater. Any type of crisis can put children at an increased risk for abuse and neglect. Well, everybody is going through something right now, both parents and children. Parents are under so much stress but then there's also the financial hardships and may end up letting out their anger on their little ones. All in all, this shouldn't be a reason to abuse children.

 

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Photo courtesy: Pintrest

Some children would open up to their teachers if anything happened at home but right now they have literally no one to run to. Advocates say awareness is even more urgent because of how many children may be quarantined at home with an abuser. Stress and tensions at home related to school closures, economic uncertainty and even job loss are all possible triggers for abusers. Home isolation, however vital to the fight against the pandemic, is giving still more power to the abusers.

Besides child abuse,movement restrictions may be making violence in homes more frequent, more severe and more dangerous. Violence has very many effects, besides physical injury it may lead to PTSD. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better.

 

Photo courtesy: Pintrest

Isolation is a key component of intimate partner violence and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many have been left hopeless. Knowing that you have a loved one exposed to such, you need to help them. Keep on communication to them frequently and checking up on them. Let people know that while they may feel isolated and abandoned, they do have friends out there. Don't judge or make them regret being in such situations. We all have friends and family and that support can be what gets someone through a violent relationship.