How much violence is too much? Assessment of poly-victimization in childhood and adolescence

Abstract

It has been confirmed that violence against children and adolescents is a frequent phenomenon in all cultures and societies, affecting between 83 and 91% of Spanish minors. Developmental victimology has shown that interpersonal violence is rarely an isolated event, but rather children and adolescents tend to experience more than one type of victimization throughout their lives, which has been termed poly-victimization. The objective of this review is to bring professionals closer to the studies that demonstrate the frequency of this phenomenon, its relationship with the presence of adverse effects on development, and the most plausible and appropriate way to measure it in order to identify those minors who require careful intervention and protection, given their extreme vulnerability.