Domestic violence in a cruel form of behavior with children: some problematic aspects

Abstract

Abstract. The problem of domestic violence in the form of child abuse is analyzed. It was determined that children are one of the most vulnerable segments of the population against domestic violence. According to the provisions of Part 1 of Art. 126-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, it is noted that as a criminal act domestic violence can be committed in three forms: physical violence, psychological violence, economic violence. In the article, domestic violence in the form of child abuse is considered precisely from the point of view of these three specified forms. The issue of psychological violence as a form of domestic violence is analyzed in more details. Emphasis is placed on the problem of non-recognition by the victim of a child witness (eyewitness) of cruel treatment. It was concluded that usually such a child receives a psychological trauma (its manifestations may be different, depending on the age, specific circumstances of the commission of the offense), which entails causing damage to his mental health. Therefore, the point of view regarding the need to recognize a child-witness (eyewitness) of domestic violence as the person against whom domestic violence in the form of psychological violence was directly committed, is substantiated. Keywords: abuse, children, domestic violence, forms of domestic violence, psychological abuse.