Original articleYouth Internet Victimization in a Broader Victimization Context
Section snippets
Methods
The National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV) conducted telephone interviews to obtain information about victimization in a US national sample of 4,046 children, aged 2-17. The survey was carried out between January and May 2008. The sampling methodology and procedures are described in detail elsewhere [13], [14]. The NatSCEV relied on a list-assisted random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey design for sample selection and data collection. A short interview was conducted with
Past-year and lifetime rates of online victimization relative to offline victimization
Online victimization was one of the least common victimizations that youth experienced (Table 1). Six percent of youth reported an online victimization in the past year—3% reported an unwanted sexual solicitation and 4% reported harassment. Six percent of youth also reported witnessing family violence. Sexual victimizations (12%) and maltreatment by caregivers (14%) were more common. Furthermore, nearly half (48%) of all the youth experienced face-to-face physical assaults. Patterns for
Discussion
Although online victimization has been one of the most publicized forms of youth victimization of late, it actually affects a relatively small segment of the population in comparison with victimizations like face-to-face assaults, child maltreatment, and property crimes. Moreover, it does not occur in isolation. Virtually all youth reporting a past-year online victimization in the current study (96%) reported an offline victimization in the same period. Thus, it is important that awareness of
Implications and Conclusions
Since youth reporting any online victimization also had elevated levels of offline victimizations, life adversity, trauma symptomatology, and delinquency, Internet safety prevention, intervention, and screening should not be stand-alone activities. Furthermore, youth who are identified with offline victimizations, delinquency, adversity, and mental health problems should be screened for online victimization and provided with education about Internet safety skills. Conversely, those reporting
Acknowledgments
For compliance with Section 507 of Pub L No. 104-208 (the Stevens Amendment), readers are advised that 100% of the funds for this program were derived from federal sources (this project was supported by grant 2006-JW-BX-0003, awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice Programs, US Department of Justice). The points of view and opinions in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
References (24)
- et al.
Poly-victimization: A neglected component in child victimization
Child Abuse Negl
(2007) - et al.
Re-victimization patterns in a national longitudinal sample of children and youth
Child Abuse Negl
(2007) - et al.
The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire: Reliability, validity, and national norms
Child Abuse Negl
(2005) - et al.
Measuring poly-victimization using the JVQ
Child Abuse Negl
(2005) - et al.
The JVQ: Reliability, validity, and national norms
Child Abuse Neglect
(2005) - et al.
The prevalence of child sexual abuse: Integrative review adjustment for potential response and measurement biases
Child Abuse Negl
(1997) Cops, child advocates offer advice to keep kids safe from web of predators
Boston Herald
(May 26, 2007)Protect your kids from Internet predators
Adolescent bullies turning up on Internet, December 3
Bullying of teenagers online is common, University of California at Los Angeles psychologists report, October 2
Cyber bullies. Special report: Girls gone wild gets a horrifying new meaning
Target sexual predators: We owe it to our children to protect them. New, tougher laws would help to do that
Cited by (135)
Moderating factors of the association between being sexually solicited by adults and active online sexual behaviors in adolescents
2021, Computers in Human BehaviorPrevalence of Technology-Facilitated Abuse Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youths
2024, JAMA Network OpenCritical race theory and victimization
2023, Implications of Marginalization and Critical Race Theory on Social JusticeCybercrime Victimisation and Polyvictimisation in Finland—Prevalence and Risk Factors
2023, European Journal on Criminal Policy and ResearchWhen cyberaggression is personal: gender differences in threats and betrayals of partners and friends
2023, Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research