Mothers experiencing domestic violence are turning to Sunray for Children. They come because they are being beaten, controlled, humiliated and economically destroyed. Their children are watching. And many of them are still living in the same home with the abuser.
This is why abuse must be addressed. Seeking help and leaving a violent environment is not a betrayal of the family – it is an act of protection.
Children are victims too
In the United Kingdom, the law is clear. Under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Section 3), a child is recognised as a victim of domestic abuse in their own right if they see, hear, or experience the effects of the abuse. It does not matter that the violence was directed at the mother. The child who lives in that home, who hears the shouting, who sees the injuries, who feels the constant fear – is a victim.
The harm is real: anxiety, trauma, behavioural problems, long-term emotional damage. UK family courts and child protection services treat exposure to domestic abuse as a form of harm under the Children Act 1989.
Both parents can be held responsible
This is where the British approach becomes very strict – and why it is so important not to remain in a violent home.
When ongoing domestic violence is established:
- The perpetrator (the abuser) is held responsible for the criminal offences against the partner and for the harm caused to the children by exposing them to that violence.
- The non-abusing parent (often the mother) can also be held responsible for failing to protect the children. By remaining in the relationship or in the same household while the violence continues, she is seen as allowing the children to continue witnessing abuse.
In care proceedings and child protection assessments, local authorities frequently find that both parents have failed in their parental responsibility: one for committing the abuse, the other for not removing the children from the harmful environment. This can lead to serious consequences, including the involvement of social services and, in the most serious cases, the removal of the children.
This is not meant to blame victims. It is a legal reality in Britain: the primary duty is the protection of the child. Once it is known that children are being exposed to ongoing domestic abuse, both parents are expected to act to stop it. Staying can be interpreted as a failure to protect.
Seek help. Do not stay.
This is why organisations like Sunray for Children exist. Mothers who are living with domestic violence need support to leave safely, to protect their children, and to rebuild their lives without fear.
Staying in a violent home does not protect the children. It exposes them. And under British law, that exposure has consequences for both parents.
A child is a gift, not a commodity. Protecting that gift means refusing to let violence continue in front of their eyes.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, reach out. Seek help. Do not remain in an environment where your children are forced to witness harm.
Sunray for Children stands with mothers and children. Abuse must be addressed. Safety must come first.
Dagmar Szabo