Stress On Development (Spousal Abuse)

Spousal abuse is a stress that can be damaging on a child's development. As a child, I had a neighbor who was abused often by her husband. Her daughter and I were very close friends. often I would listen to my mother and my friends mother discuss the issues between her husband and her. She afraid of him and did not want to leave her home. She was the kind of woman that depended on her husbands financial support for their family. This violence or abuse really hurt the development of my friend. She would arrive late to school on many occasions. Sometimes she would be absent for days at a time. Whenever she was at school, her mind would be way out in left field. She would want to be alone during recess. My mother always suggested that her mother recieve help from the community or even from our church. My mothers friend would always suggest not. This violence took place over a period of years. My friends emotion well being was torn apart. She was a very unhappy young girl who loved both of her parents.

One day surprisingly, my friends mother seeked help from a local abuse organization that supported her and her chidren. She was able to attend meeting to help build her self esteem and give her a sense of her wealth. One night the husband returned home drunk and started a fight as usual. The mother fought back and left her husband. She and her children moved in with relatives across town and started a new life without the father. This was the best move the mother could have ever taken. The mother shortly after found a job to help support her family. My friend and her sibblings all bagan to do much better in their schooling. Their attendance was strong!

Spousal abuse effect not only the spouse but the entire family. Sadly to say, but often children have a harder time adjusting to anyform of abuse. I am grateful that my friends mother is doing much better. She is living independently with her children. They found them a small home of their own and is doing just great. I've heard that the father has pleaded time and time to reunite with the family but the mother has denied his request. 

In Mexico city, thousand of women are abused by their spouses on a daily basis. 4-10 women in Mexico has suffered some form of violence from their partner. In dating 58% of women between 15-19 years of age had an incident. Of the capital's this kind of violence, 64.3% did not take any legal actions against their attacker, only 35.7% did. Greatly to say now, 75% of the six thousand women reported being assaulted by their partner now lived independently and away from their attacker. These women recieved help and support from family violence programs which gave them therapeutic support, medical monitoring, emotional support, and job training.