Domestic Violence Scars Kashmir's Children, Experts Sound Alarm
Srinagar: Aisha's (name changed) life began not with a gentle lullaby, but with the harsh discord of a fracturing home. At just three-year-old, she witnessed a constant clash of raised voices and slamming doors. When her parents finally separated, she was taken in by her aunt at a tender age, who lived just across the street. Yet, the longing for her father and a strained relationship with her stepmother compounded her emotional distress. The turmoil culminated in severe mental health challenges and harrowing attempts at self-harm and suicide.
After seeking medical attention, she was finally referred to a psychiatrist for comprehensive care.
“Parental discord can make a child feel the world is insecure. In Psychology, the basic trust theory suggests children need security from trustworthy caregivers. Abuse and discord can lead to mistrust and anxiety, shaping their personality,” Waseem Kakroo, Consultant Clinical Psychologist (RCI) at Centre for Mental Health Services, said.
The psychologist said that alongside abuse, parental discord, separation and divorce, domestic violence casts a shadow over a child's developmental journey. According to him, such children often adopt a pessimistic outlook, resorting to impulsivity
Family Discord From 2022-23 and violence in adulthood.
He underscored the concerning trend of children mirroring violent behaviors witnessed in their upbringing, perpetuating a cycle of aggression in future relationships.
“If a child is witness to violence in the childhood, he or she models such behavior in the adult relationship, in future instead of communicating in an assertive way, they turn to violence,” Kakroo said.
“They can also develop mental health issues later in their life such as depression, anxiety disorder and borderline personality disorder.”
Various research also suggests that children exposed to chronic stress during early development are more likely to experience anxiety later in life. A study undertaken to assess mental health among children from Anantnag district of Kashmir found that children from 'disrupted' families have lower mental health as compared to 'intact' families.
Another study published in the Journal of Humanities And Social Sciences revealed that domestic violence not only poses a direct threat to women's health but also has adverse consequences for the survival and well-being of children.
Programme Coordinator, Child Guidance and Wellbeing Centre, Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), Kashmir Adil Wadoo said that the centre addresses a range of child mental health needs, including those arising from domestic violence, which falls under the broader category of psycho-social issues.