October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence hurts children even when they are not direct victims. Even if children are too young to understand the circumstances of domestic violence, the emotions they experience leave scars on their nervous systems, bodies, and brains. These traumatic experiences can have both short and long-term effects on children, often showing up as sleep disorders, attention deficits, anxiety, depression, or other mental and physical struggles.
CASA volunteer advocates help to protect Lake County foster children who have been in situations of domestic violence by regularly checking in with them to ensure that they are in safe foster placements while in the protective care system. They also ensure children's emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing, advocating for programs or services that can help children heal from the effects of trauma.
Nobody can take back what children saw, heard, or felt in situations of domestic violence, but we can work to ensure their safety and healing moving forward. This October, join me in talking about the effects of domestic violence, and the important work that CASA does to counter them. Please share this email anyone you think might be interested in supporting or organization, or would make a good CASA volunteer advocate.
