There is no question that domestic abuse impacts children. Research has shown that, each year, 1 in 15 children in the U.S. live in homes where one of the parents (or a parent’s partner) abuses the other adult. Ninety percent of these children are eyewitnesses to the violence.

Results from another survey showed that 1 in 3 children who witnessed intimate partner violence reported being physically abused themselves. Of the over 11,000 survivors who received help from Maine’s Regional Domestic Violence Resource Centers in 2025, 48% had children.

The impact is different for each child. Not all children who grow up in a household where one parent is abusive to another will be traumatized. However, childhood exposure to domestic abuse can increase the risk that someone will later face chronic physical and mental health conditions, substance use disorder, and other negative social and health outcomes, as identified in the landmark Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Study. Also troubling are the immediate impacts on children, who may sustain physical or emotional injuries from an abusive parent or caregiver.

When concerns about children’s well-being are reported to Child Protective Services at Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services, advocates intervene to assess and investigate the report and help build a path forward that increases safety for children.

While these interventions are often crucial to ensure children's safety, they can also have a serious impact on their non-offending, protective parents. Protective parents are often victims of domestic abuse themselves. Many survivors fear that the involvement of the child welfare system will have negative impacts on them and their safety–they fear their children will be removed, or their abuser will retaliate against them for disclosing what has happened, or they will be held responsible for the actions of their abusive partner. In a study of the impact of reporting to CPS or the police, one survivor shared that involving another system would be ineffective in addressing their concerns: “CPS came to investigate/interview but nothing was done after that ... Nothing changed after the report. My husband acts like we are happy in front of people, but behind closed doors, he is emotionally abusive … and destructive…”

New Hope Midcoast has a specially trained advocate who acts as a liaison at the Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of this partnership is to promote the safety of protective parents and their children while holding the perpetrators of domestic violence accountable. By collaborating in this way with Child Protective Services, New Hope Midcoast can:

• Enhance the system’s response to adult survivors and their abusive partners involved in the child protective system;

• Provide support and resources to survivors of domestic abuse who are involved with the child protective system;

• Improve policy and practice to protect non-offending parents and hold abusive partners accountable; and

• Provide training, consultation and technical assistance to Child Protective Services caseworkers.

In addition to these CPS-specific resources, connecting with a Domestic Violence Resource Center like New Hope Midcoast can help survivors manage the impact of abuse by offering support with housing, legal advocacy, safety planning and help navigating access to basic needs resources. 

While it is important to understand the negative impacts of witnessing or experiencing abuse on children, we can and should also focus on what we know helps children recover and heal. People are not doomed to become abusive or to be abused in future relationships because of their childhood experiences. We know there are several factors that promote resilience in children, the most important of which is a strong attachment bond with a consistent adult. Partnering with protective parents and ensuring they have the tools they need to support their children can be an extremely effective intervention to help children recover. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network also notes that involvement in a community that ensures access to quality essential services like childcare, after-school programs, healthcare and mental health services is the ideal context for healing. Learn more about how New Hope Midcoast supports children and families at newhopemidcoast.org.

New Hope Midcoast is one of Maine’s Regional Domestic Violence Resource Centers and a member of the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence. Our nonprofit organization supports people impacted by domestic abuse, dating violence, and stalking through housing and legal advocacy, education and prevention programs, and a 24/7 helpline. New Hope serves Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox and Waldo counties and empowers clients by providing options and treating everyone with care and respect.