2013-09-192013-09-192013http://hdl.handle.net/11212/422http://calio.org/images/how-to-asses-poly-victimization-in-your-work-approaches-tools-updated-9-10-14.pdfPoly-victimization refers to experiencing multiple different types of victimization, such as physical abuse by a caregiver, bullying at school, and witnessing an assault in one's neighborhood. The children with the highest number of exposures are considered poly-victims (over 7 exposures in the last year in our research). Poly-victimization has been found to be the strongest predictor of psychological symptoms in multiple national studies. Contrary to many people's beliefs, it seems to matter less which type of victimization a child experiences (maltreatment versus bullying, for example) in comparison to how many different types of abuse he or she has sustained. This insight calls for a new framework and a new approach for working with victimized children, one that is more child-centered and holistic and less focused on particular types of violence. Everyone who deals with youth victimization in their work knows that sometimes it is hard to make a positive impact in the lives of endangered children. A child-centered and family-centered focus has the potential to improve efforts to increase the safety and well-being of all children.pdfpolyvictimizationAssessmentText