Children's experiences of IPV: men's retrospective accounts of IPV within the family home

Historically, children who grew up in homes where they were exposed to domestic violence and abuse were labelled as witnesses which influenced the construction and treatment of children within services (Callaghan et al., 2018). This implied that children were passive, not significantly impacted by this exposure, and that they did not require access to victim services. More recently, children have been explicitly acknowledged as victims in these circumstances, but there is still evidence that child victims are treated differently depending on their age and gender. This chapter reviews the literature and policy in this area and draws on data that explores the experiences of boys’ growing up in an abusive home through 23 men’s retrospective accounts. Findings demonstrate the severity of the abuse they were exposed to (by male and female parental figures) and the impact this had at the time as well as the way it still impacts on their adult lives. Recommendations include reconciling current policy and practice to ensure boys of all ages are able to get access to help and support.