Shooting sheds light on how domestic violence affects children

Central Point, Ore. -- It's a chilling case of a domestic violence homicide that shattered a family.

A husband allegedly shot and killed his wife while family members said two children and a teenager were inside the home.

The suspect, 42-year-old Wade Phillips, is now in jail and charged with murder. Now, the kids are left with just memories of their mom Cynthia, who friends called Cindy.

Tammi Pitzen is the Executive Director of Jackson County's Children's Advocacy Center. She said children who experience a traumatic event like this is something they'll never get over.

"We often underestimate the effects domestic violence can have on children. It is a very very serious threat to their emotional stability as well as their physical safety," Pitzen said.

She said while every child responds to traumatic events differently kids in these types of situations often suffer from post traumatic stress.

"Some of the things kids might experience is the same types of trauma responses we see in war vets," she said.

And the effects are long lasting, and wide ranging. Pitzen said experiencing domestic violence can impact all areas of a child's life from school performance to relationships.

Therapy and support from family can help, but Pitzen said it never fully makes the pain go away it just makes it easier to live with.

Originally posted here:
Shooting sheds light on how domestic violence affects children