| Beyond cases reported to authorities, little | | | | victimization and mental health problems and |
| knowledge exists on the types, amount, and | | | | delinquent behavior. For example:~ Negative |
| effects of childhood victimization. Through a | | | | outcomes in victims of sexual assault were |
| national survey of adolescents, researchers | | | | three to five times the rate observed in non |
| examined the prevalence of sexual assault, | | | | victims.~ Girls who witnessed violence were |
| physical assault, physically abusive | | | | nearly twice as likely as boys to experience |
| punishment, and witnessing an act of violence | | | | post traumatic stress disorder.This |
| and subsequent effects on mental health, | | | | nationally representative sample does not |
| substance use, and delinquent behavior | | | | include adolescents from homes without |
| problems. Gender and racial/ethnic specific | | | | telephones and certain high-risk adolescents |
| findings are translated into national | | | | (i.e., those who were homeless or housed in |
| estimates.Research findings include (from the | | | | jails, juvenile correctional facilities, or |
| U.S. Department of Justice):1. Rates of | | | | inpatient mental health treatment |
| interpersonal violence and victimization of | | | | facilities).These are disturbing statistics |
| 12 to 17 year-olds in the United States were | | | | and are supported by the well known syndrome |
| extremely high, and witnessing violence is | | | | that rape cases go largely unreported. Many |
| considerably more common.2. Black and native | | | | times, children are embarrassed to report |
| American adolescents were victimized more | | | | abuse, especially sexual abuse, which allows |
| than whites, Hispanics, and Asians in each | | | | the perpetrator more time to continue with |
| type of victimization. Much of the violence | | | | the child (and others). The National Center |
| experienced by youths is perpetrated by peers | | | | for Child Abuse and Neglect estimates that |
| or someone the victim knows well. Most sexual | | | | there are almost one million children in the |
| assaults (86 percent) and physical assaults | | | | US that suffer life threatening physical |
| (65 percent) went unreported.3. A clear | | | | violence each year. |
| relationship exists between youth | | | | |