A child doesn't have to be touched to be hurt. Witnessing is enough. Even hidden behind a door, even when they seem to be asleep, they hear everything.
It's called witnessed violence
Shouting, threats, things being thrown, silences full of fear: for a child, these experiences leave a mark. Insecurity, confusion, trouble trusting others, anxiety that comes mostly at night. They are invisible wounds, but real and deep ones, and they often stay with the child into adulthood.
Every scream they hear, even from far away, becomes a memory they carry with them: to school, among their friends, inside themselves.
Trauma isn't always visible. Sometimes it's exactly what we don't see that hurts the most.
Protecting a child is possible
At La Mongolfiera, almost two in three of the people we welcome are children. It's the clearest sign that violence never hurts just one person.
If you fear a child is living in a violent home, don't stay silent. 1522 is also there for anyone who wants to protect a child: it's free, anonymous and open 24 hours a day.
Let's break the cycle of violence together. Love doesn't shout. And it doesn't hurt.