Showing papers by "David Finkelhor published in 2010"
TL;DR: Poly-victimization is more highly related to trauma symptoms than experiencing repeated victimizations of a single type and explains a large part of the associations between individual forms of victimization and symptom levels.
659 citations
TL;DR: These data support the poly-victimization model, indicating that many youth experience multiple forms of victimization and indicate that the various forms of family violence are especially closely linked.
420 citations
TL;DR: The declines apparent in this analysis parallel evidence from other sources, including police data, child welfare data, and the National Crime Victimization Survey, suggesting reductions in various types of childhood victimization in recent years.
Abstract: Objective To assess trends in children's exposure to abuse, violence, and crime victimizations. Design An analysis based on a comparison of 2 cross-sectional national telephone surveys using identical questions conducted in 2003 and 2008. Setting Telephone interview. Participants Experiences of children aged 2 to 17 years (2030 children in 2003 and 4046 children in 2008) were assessed through interviews with their caretakers and the children themselves. Outcome Measure Responses to the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. Results Several types of child victimization were reported significantly less often in 2008 than in 2003: physical assaults, sexual assaults, and peer and sibling victimizations, including physical bullying. There were also significant declines in psychological and emotional abuse by caregivers, exposure to community violence, and the crime of theft. Physical abuse and neglect by caregivers did not decline, and witnessing the abuse of a sibling increased. Conclusion The declines apparent in this analysis parallel evidence from other sources, including police data, child welfare data, and the National Crime Victimization Survey, suggesting reductions in various types of childhood victimization in recent years.
227 citations
TL;DR: Findings indicate law enforcement responses to juvenile prostitution are influential in determining whether such youth are viewed as victims of commercial sexual exploitation or as delinquents.
Abstract: Two studies were conducted to identify the incidence (Study 1) and characteristics (Study 2) of juvenile prostitution cases known to law enforcement agencies in the United States. Study 1 revealed a national estimate of 1,450 arrests or detentions (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1,287-1,614) in cases involving juvenile prostitution during a 1-year period. In Study 2, exploratory data were collected from a subsample of 138 cases from police records in 2005. The cases are broadly categorized into three main types: (a) third-party exploiters, (b) solo prostitution, and (c) conventional child sexual abuse (CSA) with payment. Cases were classified into three initial categories based on police orientation toward the juvenile: (a) juveniles as victims (53%), (b) juveniles as delinquents (31%), and (c) juvenile as both victims and delinquents (16%). When examining the status of the juveniles by case type, the authors found that all the juveniles in CSA with payment cases were treated as victims, 66% in third-party exploiters cases, and 11% in solo cases. Findings indicate law enforcement responses to juvenile prostitution are influential in determining whether such youth are viewed as victims of commercial sexual exploitation or as delinquents.
222 citations
TL;DR: Analysis of the effects of different forms of child victimization on changes in self-concept in a national sample of 11- to 18-year-old youth suggests that sexual victimization experiences may have uniquely powerful effects on self-esteem that are not apparent for other types of victimization and stress.
Abstract: Using two waves of the Developmental Victimization Survey (DVS), this research examined the effects of different forms of child victimization on changes in self-concept in a national sample of 11- to 18-year-old youth. Specifically, we (a) assessed the independent effects of past-year sexual victimization, nonsexual child maltreatment, peer victimization, and nonvictimization adversity on changes in mastery and self-esteem, (b) investigated the effects of these stressors on levels of depressive symptoms, and (c) determined the extent to which changes in mastery and/or self-esteem mediate associations between victimization and depression. Results indicate that only sexual victimization independently reduced self-esteem, and there were no significant changes in mastery in response to victimization exposure. Declines in self-esteem partially mediated the association between past-year sexual victimization exposure and levels of depressive symptoms. Strong direct effects of each form of victimization and nonvictimization adversity on depression were also evident. Results suggest that sexual victimization experiences may have uniquely powerful effects on self-esteem that are not apparent for other types of victimization and stress.
152 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that practitioners should expand the forms of victimization that are assessed when working with victimized children and treatment should not only focus on alleviating psychological distress, but also on the role it may play in raising the risk for re-victimization.
121 citations
TL;DR: Children exposed to either victimization only or both disaster and victimization had worse mental health compared to those who experienced neither, and more research is needed to better understand the interactive risks for and effects of multiple forms of trauma.
Abstract: In a representative sample of 2,030 U.S. children aged 2–17, 13.9% report lifetime exposure to disaster, and 4.1% report experiencing a disaster in the past year. Disaster exposure was associated with some forms of victimization and adversity. Victimization was associated with depression among 2- to 9-year-old disaster survivors, and with depression and aggression among 10- to 17-year-old disaster survivors. Children exposed to either victimization only or both disaster and victimization had worse mental health compared to those who experienced neither. More research into the prevalence and effects of disasters and other stressful events among children is needed to better understand the interactive risks for and effects of multiple forms of trauma.
104 citations
TL;DR: The findings support previous claims that prevention messages should target youth behaviors rather than specific online locations where these crimes occur, and suggest youth can take this knowledge with them online, regardless of whether they are using SNSs, chat rooms, or instant messaging.
96 citations
TL;DR: Results indicate that children with high levels of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptoms were particularly likely to experience increased exposure to several forms of victimization, including peer victimization and maltreatment, and sexual victimization.
Abstract: The current study examines the effects of child internalizing and externalizing symptoms on increases in victimization over a 1-year period. Using longitudinal data from the Developmental Victimization Survey (DVS), analyses are based on a national probability sample of 1,467 children aged 2-17. Results indicate that children with high levels of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptoms were particularly likely to experience increased exposure to several forms of victimization, including peer victimization, maltreatment, and sexual victimization, controlling for earlier victimization and adversity. The relationship of symptoms to victimization exposure differed across developmental stage. Elementary school-age children with high levels of symptoms were especially vulnerable to victimization by peers, whereas distressed youth in early adolescence were particularly vulnerable to sexual victimization. Mental health problems in childhood and adolescence appear to represent important risk factors for increased victimization. Future interventions might consider targeting youth with co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptoms during especially vulnerable developmental stages.
91 citations
TL;DR: The results of this study highlight the need for attention to infant victimization that considers a wider array of victimization sources and a broader scope of prevention efforts than has been typical in the child-maltreatment field.
Abstract: The objectives of this research were to (1) obtain esti- mates of child maltreatment and other forms of personal, witness- ing of, and indirect victimization among children aged 0 to 1 year in the United States and (2) examine associations between infant vic- timization exposure and the infant's level of emotional and behav- ioral symptoms. METHODS: The study is based on a cross-sectional national telephone survey that included caregivers of a sample of 503 children under 2 years of age. RESULTS: Nearly one-third of the sample of infants (31.6%) had expe- rienced some form of personal, witnessing, or indirect form of victim- ization. The rate of infant maltreatment by caregivers (2.1%) was sig- nificantly lower than among older preschool-aged children. However, the rate of infant assault by siblings was considerable at 15.4%. The greatest risk of assault occurred in households with young siblings; nearly 35% of the infants with a sibling aged 2 to 3 years were as- saulted in the year before the interview. Witnessing family violence was also relatively common among the infants (9.5%). Victimization was associated with emotional and behavioral problems; sibling assault and witnessing family violence had the highest correlations with infant symptom scores. CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight the need for attention to infant victimization that considers a wider array of victimization sources and a broader scope of prevention efforts than has been typical in the child-maltreatment field. Pediatrics 2010;126:44-52
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors conducted telephone interviews with law enforcement officials about a nationally representative sample of cases ending in arrest for an Internet-related sex crime against a minor in 2000 and 2006.
Abstract: This paper documents changes in the rates and characteristics of undercover police investigations against child sexual exploiters on the Internet. Telephone interviews were conducted with law enforcement officials about a nationally representative sample of cases ending in arrest for an Internet-related sex crime against a minor in 2000 and 2006. The survey found a 280% increase in arrests of offenders identified in undercover operations between the two time periods. This translates to an increase in estimated numbers of arrests nationwide from 826 to 3137. Federally funded Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces showed the largest increase in arrests by 988%. The growth in arrests suggests the successful adaptation of new technology and training to improve police effectiveness.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the amount of identifying information available in a systematic sample of 561 newspaper articles about non-fatal child victimizations published from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2004, and found that victim identifiers were most likely to be included when the alleged offender was related to the victim or was a high-profile community member.
Abstract: When the names of child victims and other identifying information appear in the media it can exacerbate trauma, complicate recovery, discourage future disclosures and inhibit cooperation with authorities for the children involved. In this study, we evaluated the amount of identifying information available in a systematic sample of 561 newspaper articles about non-fatal child victimizations published from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2004. Identifying information about the victim (e.g. name of the child’s street, school or a family member’s full name) was published in 51 percent of articles covering child victimizations. For cases of sexual assault, victim identifiers were most likely to be included when the alleged offender was related to the victim or was a high-profile community member. Based on these findings, we examine the arguments for and against more restrictive policies regarding identifying information, and suggest some guidelines that would provide additional protections for child victims.
01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: The most recent data from NCANDS were released in April, 2009 and concern cases of child maltreatment investigated in 2007 as mentioned in this paper, which showed a mixed and ambiguous picture about recent trends, with overall substantiated cases flat or declining, but maltreatment fatalities increasing.
Abstract: New data released by the federal government about reported child maltreatment for 2007 show a mixed and ambiguous picture about recent trends, with overall substantiated cases flat or declining, but child maltreatment fatalities increasing. The data for the tables and graphs included in this report are derived from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), which aggregates and publishes statistics from state child protection agencies. The most recent data from NCANDS were released in April, 2009 and concern cases of child maltreatment investigated in 2007. (See http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm07/index.htm for more information.)
01 Jan 2010
01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: Wyroznic trzy podstawowe typy analizowanych przypadkow: a) czerpanie korzyści majątkowych z prostytucji osob maloletnich; b) uprawianie prostytocji na wlasny rachunek; c) konwencjonalne wykorzystywanie seksualne dzieci z wynagrodzeniem osoby malolettnich
Abstract: Przeprowadzono dwa badania, aby określic liczbe (badanie 1) i charakterystyke (badanie 2) przypadkow prostytucji maloletnich, znanych amerykanskim organom ścigania Badanie 1 ujawnilo 1 450 aresztowan (w skali calego kraju; 95%, przedzial ufności: 1 287–1 614) w związku z prostytucją maloletnich w ciągu jednego roku W badaniu 2 pobrano dane eksploracyjne z akt policyjnych dotyczących proby 138 spraw z roku 2005 Mozna wyroznic trzy podstawowe typy analizowanych przypadkow: a) czerpanie korzyści majątkowych z prostytucji osob maloletnich; b) uprawianie prostytucji na wlasny rachunek (bez udzialu osob trzecich) oraz c) konwencjonalne wykorzystywanie seksualne dzieci z wynagrodzeniem Analizowane przypadki podzielono na trzy kategorie na podstawie sposobu, w jaki policja traktowala osoby maloletnie: a) maloletni jako ofiary (53%); b) maloletni jako sprawcy (31%) oraz c) maloletni jako zarowno ofiary, jak i sprawcy (16%) Analizując status maloletnich ze wzgledu na typ sprawy, autorzy ustalili, ze we wszystkich przypadkach konwencjonalnego wykorzystywania seksualnego dzieci z wynagrodzeniem osoby maloletnie traktowano jako ofiary To samo mozna powiedziec o 66% przypadkow czerpania korzyści majątkowych z prostytucji osob maloletnich oraz o 11% przypadkow uprawiania przez maloletnich prostytucji na wlasny rachunek Wyniki badan wskazują, ze reakcje organow ścigania na prostytucje maloletnich mają istotny wplyw na to, czy uprawiający ją mlodzi ludzie są traktowani jako ofiary wykorzystywania seksualnego w celach komercyjnych czy jako sprawcy