Victims may experience:

• Serious physical injury, even death
• Emotional harm, such as depression, loss of self-esteem, anxiety, feelings of helplessness and worthlessness
• Work problems — loss of job and income

Abusers may experience:

• Loss of self-esteem, leading to continued violence
• Legal problems, fines, jail
• Work problems — loss of job and income
• Possible violent revenge by victims
• Continued violence in their relationships, unless they seek help

Society suffers through:

• The legal and economic burden of arrest, prosecution and imprisonment of abusers (and added danger to law enforcement personnel)
• The social costs of crimes
• Business costs of $3 to $5 billion/year in lost days of work

Children from families in which there is adult domestic violence may exhibit the following signs:

• Sleeping difficulties
• Extreme passivity
• Acting out behavior
• Be easily distracted
• Constant striving for perfection

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