More than one-quarter of U.S. children exposed to violence

More than one out of every four U.S. children are victims or witnesses. That’s the figure researchers have found in a recently released study of violence.

The study released in the journal Pediatrics said more than 17 million children “are witnesses to, or victims of, assaults with weapons,” Reuters reports. Those experiences can be devastating, increasing risks of mental health issues including depression and anxiety. Unsurprisingly, many of the incidents involve domestic violence and parents of the children.

Repeated exposure to the stress caused by violent incidents has physical repercussions, too, with an increase in heart disease, nervous system disorders and immune system complications, previous research has shown.

The weapons used in the violence the kids experienced or witnessed include everything from sticks and rocks to knives and guns. (Approximately 3 percent of the children told researchers they had been exposed to violence involving firearms or knives.)

More than 4,100 children ages 2 to 17 were interviewed. The Reuters article noted that caregivers answered questions for the children under age 10.

When domestic violence charges are part of child custody disputes between divorcing parents, already complicated problems become even further tangled. An experienced Nevada family law attorney can help you understand where you and your children stand in your set of circumstances.

The most important issue for an experienced divorce lawyer is always the protection of the best interests of your children, whether domestic violence issues are present or not in your Las Vegas divorce.

Finding workable resolutions in these complex disputes is not only part of the divorce process, but also can be part of the process of modifying child custody arrangements after a divorce has been finalized.