43. What Are The Effects Of Domestic Violence?

How does domestic violence affect a child?The framed picture of the happy family. Mom, Dad and the kids. Living their best lives. Baby on Dad's knee. A wonderful family. That's what we present to the world anyway right? Because what goes on behind closed doors can be so different. Can be another story. So many children taught to show the world a happy face. To keep secrets. To save face. So many children trapped with no-one to talk to. Erika is a beautiful soul who has been through more than any human should. She was abused and beaten. By her step father. In her home. Where nobody came to help her. Nobody said "stop" "enough". Nobody took her hand and told her she was beautiful and worthy and lovable. Everything was hard. Erika moved to a new country and she didn’t look like the other girls. She didn’t know she was black. She just knew she was a person. And her realisation that her skin colour would determine the way people saw her is heartbreaking. And as she grew into a woman, Erika remembers desperately not wanting to get attention with clothes and all the things young girls want. Because attention was unsafe. Attention meant abuse. Erika is now a healing coach who is helping women who have been through trauma to heal and she has so much to share with us. You can find Erika on www.instagram.com/emotional.freedom/ and her website https://www.thepersonaldeveloper.com/If you have a story to share for this podcast please connect with me at www.instagram.com/mybigloveproject or send an email to [email protected].  I would LOVE! to connect with you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.