Up to 20% of parents may suffer abuse by their children, conference hears

As many as one-in-five Irish couples may experience violence from their children, with the majority suffering in silence because of shame and guilt over their belief that they have failed as parents.

The figure for people parenting alone is likely to be even higher, at almost one in three, a conference on the emerging problem of child parental abuse heard.

Barbara McAllister of Bray Women’s Refuge, which hosted the conference, said over the past couple of years she had noticed more women seeking help because they were afraid to go home, not because of a violent spouse or partner, but because of a child.