Abstract: Submission #259

Abstract South African adolescents are exposed to Domestic Violence (DV) in their homes. The effects of Child Exposure to DV are reported to be adverse, possibly life-long and negative. These include, behavioural issues, mental health challenges and poor psychosocial and developmental outcomes. These effects have led some child advocates, social service providers and policymakers to conclude that child exposure to domestic violence (CEDV) is a type of child abuse warranting urgent intervention and mandatory reporting. The Children’s Act 38 of 2005, defines child abuse as exposing and subjecting a child to behaviour, that may harm the child emotionally and psychologically. Yet, there is limited research on how social workers address CEDV as a safety threat and the resulting effects on the child. This presentation seeks to foreground the voices of adolescents, by exploring their experiences of CEDV and how these have influenced their mental health. Ethical clearance was received for the study and thereafter data collected through a self administered survey to 848 grade 8 adolescent learners from four high schools in the Ekurhuleni region in South Africa. Most of the respondents exposed to DV presented with mental health challenges, such as anxiety, high depression and stress levels, post-traumatic stress disorders and inability to regulate their emotions. The findings showcase the significant psychological and emotional harm that DV exposure causes to adolescent’s and why it should be classified and treated as child abuse given the threat to the child’s safety and well being whilst implementing statutory measures such as mandatory reporting to protect the child. The paper recommends that it is paramount to develop appropriate interventions to address the harmful effects of DV exposure, to improve overall developmental outcomes for the affected children and mitigate the risk presented whilst bolstering their resilience. Treating and addressing DV exposure as a form of child abuse is in alignment with SDG Goal 16 which seeks to end abuse and all forms of violence against children.