Study Finds Decline in Children’s Exposure to Violence

A study recently published in JAMA Pediatrics found that children’s exposure to violence, crime, and abuse declined from 2003 to 2011. The results were based on telephone surveys with children and caregivers during which researchers used a standard questionnaire to gather information on incidences of 50 types of child victimization in the following categories: assault, sexual victimization, maltreatment, property victimization, and witnessing or indirect victimization.

The researchers compared results from surveys conducted in 2003, 2008, and 2011 and observed that, from 2003 to 2011, there were (1) significant declines in 27 types of child victimization and (2) no significant increases. They also found that, during the period, rates of:

• assaults against children within the past year dropped 33%,
• sexual victimization dropped 25%,
• emotional abuse dropped 27%,
• property victimization dropped 34%, and
• indirect victimization (witnessing abuse, murder of someone close, etc.) dropped 28%.

The researchers were unable to attribute the decline to any specific factors, but speculated that it may partly be due to the growing use of computers, iPads, and other types of electronic technology and communication. The researchers opined, “as youth socialize and communicate electronically, they may be spending less time in face-to-face contact situations where assaults and violence can occur."