Why Does DCF Care About Emotional Domestic Violence Between Parents in MA?
The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (MA DCF) often gets involved due to emotional domestic violence between parents because of its a harmful influence on the children. This is mainly because MA DCF thinks emotional domestic violence between parents is a type of child neglect. At least in DCF’s eyes, when parents focus on their relationship issues more than they focus on the well being of their child, they forget about their child’s needs. That means DCF thinks emotional domestic violence is a type of child neglect. And, when children witness or are victims of emotional domestic abuse between their parents, they can have mental health issues later on in their life.
What is Emotional Domestic Violence?
Emotional domestic violence is a type of abuse where the abuser emotionally harms the victim. It is different from physical abuse, which causes marks or bruises on the victim’s body. Instead, it leaves the victims with emotional scars which can lead to various types of issues down the line. These include issues like depression and low self esteem.
What are Examples of Emotional Domestic Violence?
Here are some examples of emotional domestic violence:
- Gaslighting
- Making someone question their sanity
- Disrespecting privacy
- Dismissing someone’s feelings
- Constantly judging and criticizing
How Does Emotional Domestic Abuse Affect the Victim?
Emotional domestic violence leads their victims to develop mental illnesses. These mental illnesses include anxiety, depression, or eating disorders. Physical effects like headaches and stomachaches are common too. These issues cause the victim to neglect of their children because they feel too exhausted by the abuse.
How Does Emotional Domestic Abuse Affect Children?
Children witnessing or experiencing emotional abuse can suffer from cognitive and behavioral issues. Seeing negative things like these hurt children more than adults. This is because children are still developing which means they are influenced easily. So, they are might imitate negative or harmful behaviors they see in their parents later on in their lives. For example, they are likely to abuse their own spouse and/or children in the future.
How Does it Affect Child Witnesses?
Children who witness emotional domestic violence between their parents can become aggressive. They can also become withdrawn, which means they do not want to communicate with other people. They also end up having trouble expressing how they feel. Then when they get older, they may abuse alcohol and drugs.
How Does it Affect Child Victims?
Emotional domestic violence affects child victims worse than child witnesses. Child victims can also become aggressive and withdrawn. But they can end up having lower self-esteem than child witnesses. This is because they are the direct targets of the abuser’s harmful words and actions.
Also, children get more anxiety when they are victims because they are more afraid of the consequences of reporting. For example, when the abuser controls the money in the family, the child may be scared that the abuser will cut the family off or throw them out on the streets if they say speak up against the abuse.
Kevin Seaver is a trusted Massachusetts DCF lawyer specialized in DCF law since 1991. 
DISCLAIMER
You find yourself in this situation, it’s advisable to seek legal representation from a qualified attorney, like those at the Law Office of Kevin Seaver, who can advocate for your rights and guide you through the complex process of a DCF investigation.
Remember that the ultimate goal of DCF is to ensure the safety and well-being of children while supporting families in crisis.
Please note that this article does not create an Attorney-Client relationship between our law firm and the reader and is provided for informational purposes only. Information in this article does not apply to all readers.
Readers should not rely on this information as legal advice and should seek specific counsel from the attorney based on personal circumstances. Thank you.
Kevin Patrick Seaver is a Massachusetts DCF Defense Lawyer who represents parents against false child abuse allegations.
Massachusetts DCF Defense Lawyer Kevin Seaver has been successfully fighting false child abuse allegations since 1991.