"Om du inte ser mig finns jag inte" Om barn som bevittnar våld i hemmet : "If you don't see me I don't exist" About children who witness domestic violence.

Sammanfattning: Children that are exposed to domestic violence are placed in a vulnerable situation and they are not been given their own identity during the family conflict resolution process. Focus is mostly directed towards the parents and their conflict-filled situation. The aim of this study is to talk with professionals and take part of their experiences with regards to the phenomenon of children who witness domestic violence. The study is conducted from a child/crime victim perspective and is restricted to men's violence against women. A qualitative method is used which consist of interviews involving representatives of BRIS, the Police, Social Service, a Woman Shelter, and two Crisis Centers with different concentrations. Our sources in the study agreed with the notion that these children which are expose to such violence ought to be defined crime victims; consequently, they will require professional help and support. The system theory and crisis theory were utilized in this study as Cullberg states in order to explain our results. The parents often believe that their children do not see or hear the violence when it takes place, but our sources disagree with this notion. The study concludes that there remain a lot to be done with regards to working with children which are exposed to such violence. The importance of more education and understanding of the situation which children face is a necessity and can not be overemphasized. Finally, the study highlights a need for authorities to work more together and learn from each other. The main conclusion is that there is an urgent need for the adult world to be aware of the presence of the child during an adult dispute, take greater responsibility, to consult and to act accordingly with a view of decreasing the unreported cases involving children.