Generational Trauma Being Passed Down from Perpetrators to Children due to their own Childhood's Events

Neil Jadhav
Jul 31
4 min read

Trauma is a psychological injury that can be observed not only in the context of victims, but also in the children of perpetrators. Descendants of those who have committed acts of violence or abuse can end up facing trauma or even guilt, regardless of having no direct involvement with the family’s historical wrongdoings.

The Varying Channels Of Trauma Transmission

There are several different ways in which trauma can be passed down to the children of perpetrators. Though each of them ends up having similar negative effects on the child

Behaviour Modelling

This is when children mimic the behaviours of their parents or other caregivers simply by observation. In certain families, parents may display certain coping mechanisms due to unresolved trauma from their past. This may include sudden outbursts, which may cause children to think of it as a normal way to relieve stress. It may also involve avoidance behaviour in which watching a parent constantly avoid tough situations can cause the child to use the same as a coping strategy.

Epigenetic Changes

This refers to a change in gene expression after an individual experiences severe trauma. Basically, it alters how genes involved in stress response are expressed. Studies have shown that this alteration may be passed down to offspring. Hence, the children of those who have experienced severe trauma can actually be born with altered stress responses even though they never experienced the trauma themselves.

Emotional Absence or Abuse

Sometimes the parents’ unresolved trauma may reflect in their way of parenting. They might become emotionally distant to cope with their internalised pain, which can affect the way they express affection to their children. Parents may also give harsh criticism, manipulate, or even neglect the child, which fails to meet the child’s emotional needs. Overall, this can cause children to have internalised guilt and struggle with emotional regulation (managing their own feelings).

Psychological Impact On Children

The children of perpetrators frequently end up bearing a heavy psychological burden, which manifests in complex ways.

The most profound impact is the guilt they face despite having no direct involvement in the wrongdoing. This is known as second-hand guilt or inherited guilt. They end up facing an emotional burden not due to their personal actions, but rather due to the shame associated with their family name. This can lead to anxiety, a sense of low self-worth, or even wanting to atone for their family’s wrongdoings. This gives them a pressure of constantly wanting to be ‘good’ and prove themselves to be morally upright.

Another significant struggle faced is the constant fear of ‘inheriting’ evil from their parents. Children may be hypervigilant over their behaviour to ensure there are no signs of evil. They may also want dissociate from their family entirely and have a new identity. However, this can contribute to them feeling like an outsider and having identity crises.

Lastly, children may experience denial or silence in the form of a defense mechanism. However, this only prevents them from healing. They might simply be in disbelief of their family history to protect themselves from the emotional burden of the unspeakable truth. Additionally, families may have rules of never discussing their past. This may lead to short term psychological protection, but can prevent healing in the long term.

Real-Life Incidents

After learning that her grandfather Amon Goeth was a Nazi war criminal, Jennifer Teege, a Black German woman, faced an identity crisis due to the racial trauma and inherited guilt. Her memoir, “My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me” makes note of the emotional spiral that she faced after this moment of realisation. This goes to show that revelations on impactful family history can actually lead to psychological crises being passed down to children.

A similar incident occurred with Rainer Höss, the grandson of the Nazi commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss. Even though he was raised in a household that promoted denial and racism, Rainer decided to walk away from these familial values and became a human rights activist. He even explicitly shows his rejection of his family legacy by calling his grandfather “a monster” and even talking about the “secondhand guilt” that he faced growing up.

How Can The Cycle Be Broken?

Despite the profound invisible wound, steps can be taken to prevent its perpetuation. A straightforward approach is therapeutic intervention. This creates a safe, non-judgmental space for individuals to speak about the guilt, allowing them to have a more positive view of their own values and choices rather than letting their past define them. Another effective approach involves truth-telling and education. Here, having openness about past wrongdoings through family discussions is crucial. It ensures that the children acknowledge the truth about their family’s past and ensures that they are empowered to choose their own path in the future. Overall, with the help of such combined efforts, we can lay the foundation for a future in which the actions of our family’s past do not define us.

By Writer Neil Jadhav and Researcher Aarush Katiyar