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Children exposed to domestic violence are still largely denied the status of direct victims, despite the evidence provided by studies in France and North America. The authors conducted qualitative clinical research with eight children exposed to domestic violence during their early childhood and received with their mothers within two dedicated structures. The aim was to study the psychic functioning of these children using the Patte-Noire (black paw) projective test. The present study’s distinctive approach involved gathering data directly from the children themselves, whereas previous international research work has been mainly based on the mother responding to questionnaires. This revealed the precocious internalisation of violent relational models and highlighted the importance of providing psychological support for both child and parent(s).