The following National Spousal Abuse FAQs are provided by the Legal Studies Program. Funded by the Department of Justice Canada. Warning: The contents of these FAQs are intended as general legal information only. If you have a personal problem, please consult a lawyer.
I have been physically abused by my husband for a long time. I have thought about leaving him but I have three children. Should I stay for the sake of the children? The basic consideration has to be the degree of risk that you and your children face by staying in the house. The risk can be the risk of physical or emotional harm. Studies have shown that living in a violent household can affect the well being and behaviour of children adversely. A 1994 Juristat from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics found that children witness violence against their mothers in almost 40% of marriages with violence.
Children who witness violence may:
- feel frightened confused and unhappy
- behave aggressively
- feel responsible for the violence
- become depressed or even suicidal
- exhibit self destructive, accident-prone behaviour
- seek punishment ( identified as love) for behaviour such as lying or stealing
- adopt rigid gender role identification
- have night time difficulties or physical complaints
