Web Sites by Topic 

Family Violence (Includes Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, and Child Neglect)

The experience of family violence, also called domestic violence, can be among the most disturbing for children because both victims and aggressors are the adults who care for them and who are most closely attached to them.  For many of these children, violence interrupts their experience of consistent safety and care, and creates an environment of uncertainty and helplessness.  Domestic violence does not discriminate across lines of race, culture, nationality, or gender and it occurs at the same rate in both homosexual and heterosexual relationships (www.nccev.org/violence/domestic.html).

Each year, about 3 to 10 million children witness assaults against a parent by an intimate partner (www.nccev.org/violence/domestic.html).

Often, children and teens are physically abused by the people who are closest to them and should be the people with which they should feel safe.  These include people such as relatives, friends, sitters, neighbors, teachers, and coaches (www.childhelpusa.org/forkids_help.htm). 906,000 children in the U. S. were confirmed by child protective service agencies as being maltreated (61% experienced neglect; 19% were physically abused; 10% were sexually abused; and 5% were emotionally or psychologically abused) (www.CDC.gov).   Moreover, an estimated 1,500 children were confirmed to have died from maltreatment (www.CDC.gov).

The Child Advocate addresses issues related to disaster and trauma intervention.  It offers resources, lists, material, and manuals that are helpful in assessing and
addressing the needs of children on topics such as coping with disaster and child abuse, including links to national and state child advocacy and protection agencies(http://childadvocate.net/products.htm).

National Clearinghouse on Family Violence is Canadian-based and distributes publications, literature and videos as well as maintains a 10,000 piece online library reference collection on family violence (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/familyviolence/resources_e.html).

Military and Violence Against Women, Family Violence Prevention Fund provides facts and resources to assist violence against women in military families (www.endabuse.org/resources/facts/Military.pdf).

ACT (Adults and Children Together) Against Violence is a violence prevention project for adults who raise, care for, and teach children ages 0 to 8 years.  It is designed to prevent violence by providing young children with positive role models and environments that teach nonviolent problem-solving. It trains educators and mental health professionals to convey violence prevention messages and to distribute material to parents in collaboration with schools and community organizations (http://www.actagainstviolence.org).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Violence Prevention-National Center for Injury Prevention and Control focuses on the prevention of child abuse and maltreatment (www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/dvp.htm). 

Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse (MINCAVA), University of Minnesota, School of Social Work provides research, education, and access to over 3,000 violence-related resources through its electronic clearinghouse.  Training material and streaming videos review youth violence, child abuse, and dating violence (www.mincava.umn.edu).

Child Abuse Prevention Network is a network of 13 organizations to identify, investigate, treat, prevent, and adjudicate child abuse and neglect.  Resources for school physicians are available (http://child-abuse.com).

Childhelp USA focuses efforts on prevention, research, and treatment to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children.  It sponsors the National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and operates the 24-hour National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (or 1-800-422-4453).  The Hotline is staffed by professional crisis counselors and is a valuable resource for mental health/health professionals and educators.  Communication in 140 languages is possible using 3-way conversations with the helper, the caller, and the nearest assistance.  Many public awareness materials are available including symptoms of abuse and abuse prevention tips.  A music video by Collin Raye (a country music star) portrays the heartbreaking reality of abused children (http://www.childhelpusa.org/programs_public.htm) and (http://www.childhelpusa.org/abuseinfo_professionals.htm).

National Domestic Violence provides information about 5,000 local and nationwide shelters and service providers available for victims, friends, and family at the Hotline (800-799-SAFE), operating 24-hours daily in more than 140 languages and a TTY line for callers with hearing impairments (TTY: 800-787-3224).  Resources for professionals are available on nearly every aspect of domestic violence including children's issues, Internet safety when an abuser is monitoring computer use, teens and dating violence, emotional abuse, and legal options for battered immigrant women, among others  (http://www.ndvh.org/educate/resource.html).