Risk of Crime Victimization Among Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence

Youth in families where domestic violence is occurring have been shown to be at risk for a variety of adversities including behavioral, emotional, physical, and cognitive functioning; attitudes; and long-term developmental problems. One of the more obvious adversities they suffer is increased risk for violent victimization themselves. This increased risk may be from living in a household with an assaultive person, it may be the result of compromised supervision and parenting by a parent who is a victim of violence, or it may be due to the psychological consequences of witnessing this violence which makes youth vulnerable to victimization. Some of the same mechanisms that would predict increased victimization risk for youth exposed to domestic violence would also apply to youth who live with an adult who is criminally victimized in other ways.

Using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey, three groups of youth were compared: youth who lived in households where at least one adult had been a victim of violence by a domestic partner; youth who lived in households where at least one adult had been a victim of violence by a non-domestic partner; and youth who lived in households where no adult had been a victim of any crime. Results indicated that youth are at a higher risk for crime victimization when they live with an adult who is also a crime victim. For girls, the increased risk is particularly high when the adult is a victim of domestic violence. Potential reasons for this relationship are explored and implications given.