Responding to the Long-term Needs of Adult Children Exposed to Domestic Violence: Exploring the connection to suicide risk

This Technical Assistance Guidance, a product of the Adult Children Exposed to Domestic Violence (ACE-DV) Leadership Forum, explores the connection between exposure to domestic violence in childhood and, among other consequences, the risk for suicide in adulthood. It is important to note that both exposure to domestic violence in childhood and risk for suicidality are complex issues. This guidance discusses the impact of domestic violence exposure through the lifespan and provides recommendations to better serve adult children exposed to domestic violence (ACE-DV). The purpose of this guidance is to raise awareness of the potentially adverse consequences of domestic violence on an often-overlooked population and provide strategies to reduce risk factors and promote resilience. Future documents will focus on other more-frequently occurring outcomes of childhood exposure. There are many factors that influence the course of an individual’s life, and this guidance does not suggest that exposure to domestic violence will inevitably lead to suicidality or any other adverse outcome discussed within.