The damage inflicted on a child as a result of domestic violence - be it physical or emotional - can have a catastrophic effect on their young lives. In this episode, Rachel Cawthorn, helps us to understand why this is the case and what physiological changes take place in a child as a result of this abuse. Rachel is a social work student and was a senior practitioner in substance misuse for 15 years.   She also experienced domestic violence as a child and, as a result, entered into two toxic relationships as a young adult which took their toll on her four children.