James & Jade

When dad came home from work he was always in a bad mood. He’d shout at us and shout at mum to keep us quiet and make us go to our bedroom. If mum tried to disagree with him, saying that we were watching TV or something, he would get really angry and threaten mum that he would give us a good hiding. Once when he did hit us, mum tried to stop him and dad said it was her fault because she hadn’t done what he had told her and then he hit mum. Dad doesn’t live with us anymore. We still see dad on the weekends and he doesn’t make us keep quiet anymore.

Carys

Sometimes if dad came home from work and the dinner wasn’t ready he would get really angry and shout and hit my mum. Some times he would hit me and break my toys. Anything seemed to make him angry. He would say sorry and promise not to do it again, but he always did. I was really scared of him when he was angry and although mum never said she was scared of my dad I could tell she was. One day my mum and me left and went to stay in a Women’s Aid Refuge. We now have a new house and things are a lot better. My mum and me are not scared anymore.

Michael

One night we got woken up by the sound of screaming, shouting and things getting smashed down stairs. Dad had come home drunk again. The violence was worse when he was drunk. He had hit mum in the face and her nose was bleeding and the furniture was smashed up. Our neighbours phoned the police and they came and took dad away. My mum is much happier now and fun to be with.

Chelsea

When dad lived with us I wouldn’t invite any friends to my house and when my friends asked if they could hang out at my house I use to lie and make up excuses. I was frightened that dad would start on mum shouting and calling her names and I didn’t want my friends knowing what was going on. I felt ashamed. Mum got help and now my friends can hang out at my house.

Louise and Oliver

One day my aunty was visiting my house. She was really upset that my dad was nasty to my mum and when she said something to him he went mad and dragged her around the room. My mum was screaming. My brother and I were crying and scared. Dad stormed upstairs. We had seen dad hit mum before but not anyone else. Mum was really scared and said she was frightened he was now going to hit her. My aunty helped us find somewhere safe to stay.