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Essay On Childhood Victimization

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Childhood Victimization is one of the most researched areas relating to the consequences of victimization involves child maltreatment, including how victimization by caregivers, peers, and others affects children and adolescents. The vast body of research on these topics suggests that there are both short- and long-term physical and mental health consequences for children and adolescents. Immediate physical consequences of child abuse include physical injuries such as fractures, bruises, burns, subdural hematomas, and traumatic brain injuries. Neglect can lead to vitamin deficiencies, obesity, untreated medical conditions, and injuries incurred due to a lack of supervision. In terms of mental health, child maltreatment is associated with lack …show more content…

For example, those who were violently victimized as adolescents were 3.5 times more likely to perpetrate assault as adults. Adolescent property victimization also appeared to have a negative influence in later life, with property crime victims being 1.8 times more likely to use marijuana as adults. Repeat bullying victims showed significantly lower self-esteem than either intermittent victims or non-victims. Victimization also was associated with greater fear and perceived risk of victimization, lower self-esteem, greater empathy, greater commitment to negative peers, lower school commitment, and less use of conflict resolution skills. Since research suggests that early victimization experiences have a negative impact on victims in both the short and long terms, victims may be dealing with the consequences for the rest of their lives. Further, if victimization increases the likelihood of delinquency and criminal behaviors, these experiences too will likely have long-term effects on victims’

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