Multiple Types Of Victimization Research Articles

Network Analysis of PTSD Symptoms in a Sample of Polyvictimized Youth

ABSTRACT Polyvictimization (i.e., the experience of multiple types of victimization) increases the risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relative to single-type victimization. Network analysis has been used to conceptualize PTSD among children and adolescents exposed to specific types of victimization (e.g., maltreatment, natural disasters), but not among those theorized to be at highest risk of poor outcomes (i.e., polyvictimized youth). The current study used network analysis to enhance our understanding of PTSD symptoms in a diverse sample of adolescents exposed to polyvictimization. Data were drawn from the Longitudinal Studies on Child Abuse and Neglect, a multi-site study of children and adolescents living in the United States (ages 0–18). Using indicators of seven different types of age-16 victimization, k-means cluster analysis identified a subgroup of polyvictimized youth. A PTSD symptom network was estimated for polyvictimized youth, with depersonalization, self-blame, and sadness emerging as central symptoms. Regression analyses indicated that depersonalization prospectively predicted age-18 anxiety symptoms, p = .033. Central symptoms did not predict age-18 PTSD or depression symptoms. To date, this is the first network study on a polyvictimized sample. While preliminary, our findings suggest that dissociation and self-blame may be central to polyvictimized youth and that dissociation may represent an important prevention target for anxiety.

Victimization and Poly-victimization in a National Representative Sample of Children and Youth: The Case of Chile

ABSTRACT In Chile, there is a little information about child and youth poly-victimization in a national representative sample. The aim of this study was to investigate the lifetime prevalence of victimization and poly-victimization in a large Chilean community sample of children and youth aged 12– 18 years. The sample consisted of 19,648 children and youth (M = 14.72, SD = 1.52), 49.7% males, and 50.3% females, recruited from 699 secondary schools in 15 regions from Chile. The Spanish version of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire was applied, assessing six aggregate categories of childhood victimization (conventional crimes, caregiver, peer and sibling, witnessed and indirect, sexual, and electronic victimization). Descriptive analyzes were conducted to establish the prevalence of six types of victimizations and poly-victimization. Odds ratios were used to estimate differences between the genders and age groups. A total of 91.8% males and 93.8% females reported at least one type of victimization in their lifetimes. Females were generally more exposed to victimization than males and older youth were more exposed to victimization than early youth. Results indicated that exposure to multiple types of victimization was very common, indeed, the most victimized group (polivictims) reported 14 or more types of victimization in their lifetimes. This study provided a more general view of the child and youth victimization in Chilean population and new information on the epidemiology of victimization in the international context.

Polyvictimization Among Russian Sex Workers: Intimate Partner, Police, and Pimp Violence Cluster With Client Violence.

Female sex workers (FSW) are a key population in the HIV epidemic and face high levels of violence. While women globally are predominantly at risk of intimate partner violence (IPV), FSW are additionally vulnerable to violence from clients, police, and pimps associated with their occupation. FSW are therefore at risk of cumulative trauma from polyvictimization, or violence from multiple types of perpetrators. Polyvictimization is a driver of morbidity and mortality in numerous populations, but there has been little research on how multiple types of victimization are related to one another in FSW. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 754 FSW from three cities in the Russian Federation. Surveys assessed lifetime experiences of client, police, intimate partner, and pimp violence. Multivariate log-binomial and Poisson regression were used to test associations between these types of violence. Forty-five percent experienced any type of violence, including 31.7% from clients, 16.0% from police, 15.7% from intimate partners, and 11.4% from pimps. One fifth (20.4%) experienced polyvictimization. Client violence was central to polyvictimization: Only 5.9% of polyvictimization occurs without client violence. When client violence was not present, police, pimp, or IPV co-occurred significantly less than would be expected under an assumption that these types of violence occur independently (p < .001). However, they co-occurred more than would be expected when client violence is present. After adjusting for other types of violence experienced and demographic factors, experiencing client violence was independently associated with police violence (adjusted relative risk [ARR] = 2.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.67, 4.59]), IPV (ARR = 3.67, 95% CI [1.95, 6.89]), and pimp violence (ARR = 5.26, 95% CI [2.80, 9.86]). Client violence may drive exposure to other types of violence and enable polyvictimization in a way that other types of violence do not in this setting. Violence prevention interventions may achieve maximal effect in reducing multiple types of violence by focusing on client violence.

The impact of victimization and mental health symptoms on recidivism for early system-involved juvenile offenders.

Although research has linked mental health symptoms and prior victimization to recidivism for youth on probation or in detention, little attention has been given to these risk factors for early system-involved youth. We conducted a survival/hazard model to estimate the impact of official records of abuse/neglect, crime victimization, and mental health issues (mood, anxiety, disruptive, and substance use disorders) on recidivism in a sample of 2,792 youth in a large Midwestern diversion program. Results indicated that youth with official records of abuse/neglect, person crime victimization, and property crime victimization were more likely to recidivate sooner than those without these victimization experiences (hazard ratio: 1.37, 1.42, and 1.52, respectively). Findings from the present study also demonstrated that substance use disorder was the only mental health cluster that predicted quicker time to recidivism. As one of the earliest points of entry into the juvenile justice system, diversion programs are in a unique position to address trauma from multiple types of victimization and adapt diversion programming to be responsive to each juvenile's mental health needs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparison of Violence Victimization and Polyvictimization Experiences Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Adolescents and Young Adults

Despite recent civil rights advances for sexual minority communities in the United States, disparities in violence victimization have increased in recent years. Polyvictimization, the experience of multiple types of violence, is common in the United States and may result in mental and physical health consequences above and beyond single-type victimization. However, disparities in polyvictimization among sexual minority young people remain understudied. The purpose of this article was to determine whether there were disparities in monovictimization and polyvictimization among sexual minority young people compared with their heterosexual peers. Data for this article were from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a nationally representative cohort study started in 1994. Participants reported their experiences with eight types of violence across child abuse, criminal assault, intimate partner violence (IPV), and sexual assault domains. We categorized individuals with no violence victimization as nonvictims, individuals with one form of victimization as monovictims, and individuals with multiple types of victimization as polyvictims. We then compared experiences of each type of victimization and overall monovictimization and polyvictimization by sexual orientation (n = 9,828). Among females, the proportions of individuals experiencing victimization by sexual orientation were significantly different for all forms of violence. Among males, criminal assault, IPV resulting in injury, and nonphysically and physically forced sexual assault differed by sexual orientation. Compared with 100% heterosexual peers, individuals who were mostly heterosexual had significantly increased odds of monovictimization and polyvictimization compared with no victimization. Bisexual individuals had significantly increased odds of polyvictimiztion, and mostly/100% homosexual individuals had significantly increased odds of monovictimization. Multiple victimization experiences may be a pathway to lifetime health disparities, so our findings may explain many of the health disparities experienced in sexual minority communities. It will be critical to develop and evaluate intervention and prevention programs to eliminate these disparities.

The Effects of Polyvictimization and Quality of Caregiver Attachment on Disclosure of Illegal Sexual Behavior

ABSTRACTThe current study examined the relationship among self-disclosure of illegal sexual behaviors and two conceptually relevant constructs in psychotherapy: childhood polyvictimization (i.e., cumulative types of victimization experienced during childhood) and caregiver attachment. Participants consisted of 63 adolescent males participating in mandated treatment for illegal sexual behavior. Childhood polyvictimization and caregiver attachment were expected to predict self-disclosure of illegal sexual behaviors. Quality of caregiver attachment was also expected to mediate the relationship between polyvictimization and disclosure. Consistent with our main hypothesis, results indicate that quality of caregiver attachment mediated the relationship between childhood polyvictimization and self-disclosure of illegal sexual behaviors in psychotherapy. The current findings highlight the impact of polyvictimization on important therapeutic processes as well as the importance of assessing for multiple types of victimization in adolescents who engage in illegal sexual behavior. Further clinical implications regarding the use of trauma-informed approaches during sex offender treatment are discussed.

Polyvictimization and Its Effects On Mental Health Problems Among Immigrant and Native Adolescents in Catalonia

Introduction Several studies have reported that immigrant adolescents suffer high rates of victimization. Polyvictimization was established as a well predictor of mental health problems. Many authors have highlighted the need to study immigrant adolescents’ community as they were immersed in a stressful process. Objective The aim is to assess multiple types of victimization (polyvictimization) and mental health problems among immigrants (first and second generation) in comparison to native adolescents. Method The sample was composed of 296 adolescents (62.2% girls) aged 13-18 (M = 15.63; SD = 1.19) in Catalonia. Participants were distributed in three groups: native (50%), first (34%) and second (16%) generation immigrants. The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire and the Youth Self Report were used to assess victimization experiences during the last year and psychological distress, respectively. Results Immigrant and native adolescents were comparable in average of total victimizations and in different types of victimization. Nevertheless, significant differences were shown among first immigrant generation and natives in relation to child maltreatment (p = .005). Significant associations were found between multiple kinds of victimization and mental health problems. However, for first immigrant generation who had experienced multiple victimizations were more associated with internalizing symptoms, while victimized native adolescents were more associated with externalizing symptoms. Conclusions Results emphasized the importance to assess victimization experiences which were suffered by adolescents, and also suggested that polyvictimization will be associated differently depend on the migration status group of the adolescents with mental health problems.

Maltreatment histories of foster youth exiting out-of-home care through emancipation: a latent class analysis.

Little is known about maltreatment among foster youth transitioning to adulthood. Multiple entries into out-of-home care and unsuccessful attempts at reunification may nevertheless reflect extended exposure to chronic maltreatment and multiple types of victimization. This study used administrative data from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to identify all unduplicated allegations of maltreatment in a cohort of 801 foster youth transitioning to adulthood in the state of Illinois. A latent variable modeling approach generated profiles of maltreatment based on substantiated and unsubstantiated reports of maltreatment taken from state administrative data. Four indicators of maltreatment were included in the latent class analysis: multiple types of maltreatment, predominant type of maltreatment, chronicity, and number of different perpetrators. The analysis identified four subpopulations of foster youth in relation to maltreatment. Study findings highlight the heterogeneity of maltreatment in the lives of foster youth transitioning to adulthood and draw attention to a need to raise awareness among service providers to screen for chronic maltreatment and multiple types of victimization.

Prevalence and associated factors of poly‐victimization in Chinese adolescents

Multiple types of victimization or poly-victimization (PV) can occur simultaneously during childhood, resulting in outcomes that are detrimental and difficult to reverse. Very few studies have focused on PV in Chinese adolescents. The present study is based on information collected from a stratified cluster sample of 1,561 females and 1,594 males aged 12-18 years living in Shandong Province, China. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess background information, the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire was used to measure the extent of victimization and PV, the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders was used to measure anxiety levels, and a Depression Self-rating Scale for Children was used to ascertain depression. A majority of the study sample (66.2%) had experienced at least one form of victimization over the past year. Prevalence of PV was 16.9%, and was significantly higher among males (21.1%) than females (12.5%). Younger ages, one-child families, and lower socioeconomic status were positively associated with PV. Logistic regression analysis indicated that smoking, alcohol consumption, exposure to pornography, and anxiety- and depression-like symptoms were risk factors of PV. Results of this study highlight the need for further exploration of factors related to the PV of Chinese adolescents.

Victimization Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis quantitatively compiled the results of studies from 1992 to 2009 to determine the prevalence and types of victimization experienced by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Based on the results of three searches, 386 studies were retrieved and coded. Comparisons were made across all LGB individuals (138 studies), between LGB and heterosexual individuals (65 studies), and between LGB females and males (53 studies), with over 500,000 participants. Multiple types of victimization were coded, including discrimination, physical assault, and school victimization. Findings revealed that for LGB individuals, reports of victimization experiences were substantial (e.g., 55% experienced verbal harassment, and 41% experienced discrimination) and some types have increased since a 1992 review, while others have decreased. LGB individuals experienced greater rates of victimization than heterosexual individuals (range: d = .04–.58). LGB males experienced some types of victimization more than LGB females (e.g., weapon assault and being robbed) but, overall, the gender differences were small. It can be concluded that LGB individuals still experience a substantial amount of victimization. Implications for research methods are discussed, including recommendations for sampling and measurement of victimization. [Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Journal of Sex Research for the following free supplemental resource(s): Supplementary Tables. These tables are referred to in the text of this article as “Table S1,” “Table S2,” etc.]

Multiple victimization experiences of urban elementary school students: Associations with psychosocial functioning and academic performance

Objective This study explored the victimization experiences of urban elementary school students to determine whether subsets of youth emerged with similar victimization profiles (e.g., no victimization, multiple types of victimization). It also evaluated whether multiple victimization was associated with greater psychological distress and lower academic performance. Methods Participants were 689 fifth grade students from an urban, ethnically diverse school district in the Northeast. Youth completed self-report measures in school about bullying victimization, victimization in the home and community, and psychosocial functioning. Results Cluster analysis suggested the existence of three distinct youth profiles: those with minimal victimization, those victimized primarily by their peers, and those with multiple types of victimizations. As hypothesized, youth with multiple victimizations experienced more psychological distress and earned lower grades than their peers. Conclusions Findings highlight the heterogeneity of youth victimization experiences and their relations to functioning, and have implications for treatment planning among practitioners working with youth.

Ending the Silence: Adults who Use Augmentative Communication and their Experiences as Victims of Crimes

Until recently, crime against individuals with disabilities has received little research attention. Information about people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and their experiences as victims of crime is even more limited. The purposes of this study were to address (a) the extent to which adults who use AAC have been victims of crime or abuse; (b) the characteristics of victimization experiences, including the type of crime, frequency, type of perpetrator, and setting; (c) the likelihood of reporting crime or abuse; and, (d) the effects of the crime on victims who use AAC. Survey results from 40 adults who use AAC indicated that 45% of individuals experienced crime or abuse. Ninety-seven percent of those who experienced crime or abuse knew the perpetrators, 71% reported being victimized multiple times, and 66% experienced multiple types of victimization. Only 28% reported their experiences to the police. Long-term effects of the crimes included significant physical and emotional harm as well as loss of property or money. Changes in policy and practice needed to 'end the silence' are suggested.

Correlates of Multiple Forms of Victimization in Religion-Related Child Abuse Cases

Abuse perpetrated under the guise of religion is a devastating form of child maltreatment that often involves multiple types of victimization. In a large-scale survey of clinicians, we investigated the nature and emotional sequelae of religion-related child sexual abuse cases. We predicted that there would be marked differences between cases involving multiple forms of abuse and those involving only sexual abuse. Our results indicate that as the number of abuses increases, so does the severity of the abusive experience and the seriousness of psychological consequences for the victim. Thus, religion-related abuse is best understood in light of the specific types and combinations of abuses suffered by victims.

Maltreated Adolescents

The authors review literature on the developmental tasks of adolescence and the unique problems faced by adolescent victims of maltreatment. The developmental domains addressed include cognition, identity, behavior and affect regulation, family and peer relationships, and sexuality. Research on the co-occurrence of multiple types of victimization is discussed. The relationship between multiple victimization and violent crime, with a focus on parricide, is examined. The authors call for greater attention to the assessment and study of multiple forms of maltreatment and its outcomes in adolescence, since adolescence is one of the least researched developmental periods in terms of single or multiple victimization.