Family abduction in a national sample of US children
Date
2017
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Child Abuse & Neglect
Abstract
This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of family abduction episodes occurring in a nationally representative sample of US children ages 0–17. It drew on the experiences of 13,052 children and youth from the aggregation of three cross-section alwaves (2008, 2011, and 2014) of the National Surveys of Children Exposed to Violence. The overall prevalence rate was 4.1% for a lifetime and 1.2% for a past year episode. Rates were higher for younger than older children. Parents constituted 90% of the abductors with females outnumbering males 60% to 40%, although men outnumbered women as perpetrators for certain types of abductions. A bit less than half of the episodes (43%) were reported to police. The experience of a lifetime family abduction had an independent association with traumatic stress symptoms independent of exposure to other kinds of victimization including child maltreatment and witnessing family violence. (Author Abstract)
Description
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Keywords
child abuse, child witness to interpersonal violence, exposure to violence, family violence, domestic violence, psychological effects, research
Citation
Finkelhor, D., Henly, M., Turner, H., & Hamby, S. (2017). Family abduction in a national sample of US children. Child abuse & neglect, 67, 403-407.