This year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a stark reminder that violence against women and girls remains a crisis and that many families are suffering in silence.
But the danger doesn’t stop at the individual: when mothers face domestic abuse, sexual assault, or coercive control, their children are at risk too. And yet, too often, services unintentionally punish the very people they are meant to protect.
Many mothers don’t ask for help because they fear losing their children. For women experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence, the fear of child removal can be as terrifying as the abuse itself. Alcohol and drug use often follow, coping mechanisms for managing the fear, the violence, and the unrelenting stress of trying to keep themselves and their children safe.
At Phoenix, the scale of the problem is clear: 65% of women entering our residential rehab report experiencing domestic abuse, and of these, 57% have parental responsibility.
Without family-sensitive services, children remain at risk of repeated harm, and the cycle of abuse and substance use can continue across generations. Scientific evidence shows that addiction and the effects of violence can be transmitted through complex biological, psychological, and social processes, creating intergenerational trauma. But family-focused support breaks this cycle.
Read the full blog by Rachael Clegg, Phoenix Futures Head of Residential, Women and Families here.
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This blog was published by Phoenix Futures as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign