. In this research it is clear to see that children who witness domestic violence learn to associate women, the abused, with being weak and powerless in the household and men, the abusers, with all the power and control. This distorted view of gender roles will most likely stay with the child through out adulthood.Substance abuse is another common effect found in children who witness domestic violence. Young people who reported high levels of exposure to domestic violence had elevated rates of substance abuse (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Substance abuse includes the use and abuse of nicotine, alcohol, cannabis and other chemical substances (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.5). Substance abuse is more commonly found in young people who have witnessed mother initiated violence (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Substance abuse is also an effect in father initiated violence, but is more commonly found when the mother is the initiator (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Substance abuse is a difficult outcome to pinpoint on domestic abuse because substance abuse is also found in families that have no history of domestic violence. However, substance abuse is almost always found in studies of domestic violence has a side effect on the children who witness it when they reach young adulthood.Crime is a constant problem in society and it is also another common side effect of children who witness domestic abuse. There is a common belief in society that children who witness inter-parental violence are at a greater risk for aggressive behavior later on in life, which most often is an early sign of later problems with juvenile crime (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.3). The children of batters have been found to exhibit more externalizing and internalizing behavior problems which often leads to criminal offending in young adulthood (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). Another clear sign that a criminal lifestyle is inevitable is conduct disorder. Conduc...
