Weapon involvement in the victimization of children
Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pediatrics
Abstract
The objective was to report the prevalence of weapons involved in the victimization of youth with
particular emphasis on weapons with a “high lethality risk” and how such exposure fits into
the broader victimization and life experiences of children and adolescents.
METHODS: Data were collected as part of the Second National Survey of Children’s Exposure to
Violence, a nationally representative telephone survey of youth ages 2 to 17 years and
caregivers (N = 4114) conducted in 2011.
RESULTS: Estimates from the Second National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence indicate
that .17.5 million youth in the United States have been exposed to violence involving
a weapon in their lifetimes as witnesses or victims, or .1 in 4 children. More than 2 million
youth in the United States (1 in 33) have been directly assaulted in incidents where the high
lethality risk weapons of guns and knives were used. Differences were noted between
victimizations involving higher and lower lethality risk weapons as well as between any
weapon involvement versus none. Poly-victims, youth with 7 or more victimization types,
were particularly likely to experience victimization with any weapon, as well as victimization
with a highly lethal weapon compared with nonpoly-victims.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings add to the field’s broadening conceptualization of youth victimization
highlighting the potentially highly consequential risk factor of weapon exposure as
a component of victimization experiences on the mental health of youth. Further work on
improving gun safety practices and taking steps to reduce children’s exposure to weaponinvolved
violence is warranted to reduce this problem.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
poly-victimization, weapons, research
Citation
Mitchell, K. J., Hamby, S. L., Turner, H. A., Shattuck, A., & Jones, L. M. (2015). Weapon involvement in the victimization of children. Pediatrics,136(1), 10-17.