1 / 45

CHILD VICTIMS OF CRIME

CHILD VICTIMS OF CRIME. Mindy F. Mitnick, Ed.M., M.A. Licensed Psychologist 5100 Eden Avenue Suite 122 Edina, MN 55436 952-927-5111. DEVELOPMENTAL VICTIMIZATION SURVEY. Ages 2 to 17 One year incidence estimates of childhood victimizations: Child maltreatment

Télécharger la présentation

CHILD VICTIMS OF CRIME

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. CHILD VICTIMS OF CRIME Mindy F. Mitnick, Ed.M., M.A. Licensed Psychologist 5100 Eden Avenue Suite 122 Edina, MN 55436 952-927-5111 MITNICK '10

  2. DEVELOPMENTAL VICTIMIZATION SURVEY • Ages 2 to 17 • One year incidence estimates of childhood victimizations: • Child maltreatment • Peer & sibling victimization • Sexual assault • Witnessing & indirect victimization • Conventional crime MITNICK '10

  3. PHYSICAL ASSAULTS • Just more than 50% experienced in the course of a year • 1 in 10 assaulted also injured • Physical assaults higher for elem. grades • Most assaults by family members • Dating violence > 3% of teens (13-17 y.o.) MITNICK '10

  4. SEXUAL VICTIMIZATION • 1 in 12 were sexually victimized • Rape & attempted rape • Sexual harassment • Being flashed • Statutory sex offenses • More often to teenagers MITNICK '10

  5. CHILD MALTREATMENT • A little more than 1 in 7 • Emotional abuse most frequent • Lower rate for preschoolers (they were not the informants) MITNICK '10

  6. PROPERTY VICTIMIZATION • > 1 in 4 experienced robbery, vandalism and theft • Boys had more experiences than girls • Rate lower among preschoolers MITNICK '10

  7. WITNESSED & INDIRECT VICTIMIZATION • 1 in 3 witnessed the victimization of someone else • Domestic violence • Abuse of a sibling • Assault • Murder • Riot or war MITNICK '10

  8. MULTIPLE VICTIMIZATIONS • Average number of experiences for those victimized: 3 different ways in separate incidents • 31% had only one experience, 2% had > 10 incidents • 97% who had any sexual victimization had additional victimizations MITNICK '10

  9. MULTIPLE VICTIMIZATIONS • Most associated with: • Dating violence w/ injury • Completed or attempted rape • Being flashed by a peer • Sex assault by stranger • Bias attack • Witnessing murder MITNICK '10

  10. Exposure to war • Statutory sex offenses • Attempted or completed kidnapping • Being flashed by an adult MITNICK '10

  11. ERIKSON’S MODEL • Biology, psychology & the environment • Sequential • Critical times • Building blocks • Psychological strengths or • Opposite of strengths MITNICK '10

  12. IMPACT IS TWO-FOLD • Can derail development from the age of experience(s) forward • Can retroactively undermine already accomplished tasks MITNICK '10

  13. TRUST vs. MISTRUST(Birth to 1 Year) • Security • Mutuality • Responsiveness of caregiver • Positive vs. negative caregiving • Secure, anxious or avoidant attachment MITNICK '10

  14. TRUST vs. MISTRUST • Abuse/violence is first and foremost a violation of trust • Victimization teaches the world is not safe • Victimized children and children who witness violence learn mistrust MITNICK '10

  15. ISSUES IN INTERVENTION • Does not trust others • May not believe you • Does not expect to be believed • Suspicious of “helpers” MITNICK '10

  16. AUTONOMY vs. SHAME & DOUBT (1 TO 3 Years) • Power, control and will • Choices • Developmental milestones • Oppositionality develops • Exploration is necessary MITNICK '10

  17. AUTONOMY vs. SHAME & DOUBT • Abuse/violence is a violation of the child’s need for control • Victims of crime feel shame • Shame-based children become sneaky, manipulative • Victimized children believe they are bad • Victimized children doubt themselves MITNICK '10

  18. ISSUES IN INTERVENTION • Feel ashamed and don’t want to talk about it • Need to control overwhelmed by “system” • Afraid of looking stupid • May not describe how they “felt” MITNICK '10

  19. MITNICK '10

  20. INITIATIVE vs. GUILT(3 to 6 Years) • Exploration • Fantasy • Conscience development • Gender role development MITNICK '10

  21. INITIATIVE vs. GUILT • Victimization discourages curiosity • Physical abuse encourages retaliation • Sexual abuse confuses sex and affection, sex and aggression • Secrecy about abuse/witnessing may over-generalize • Guilt may over-generalize MITNICK '10

  22. ISSUES IN INTERVENTION • Won’t offer information • Will feel guilty about breaking secret(s) • Guilt may lead to recantation MITNICK '10

  23. INDUSTRY vs. INFERIORITY (6 TO 14 Years) • Learning, mastery and competence • Roles and rules, competition, cooperation • Puberty and normal sexual feelings MITNICK '10

  24. INDUSTRY vs. INFERIORITY • Victimized children become guilty bearers of secret • Victimized children blame selves • Victimized children hide injuries – physical & emotional • Victimized children feel different, dirty • Victimized children fell isolated MITNICK '10

  25. INDUSTRY vs. INFERIORITY Coping mechanisms include: • Depression • Learning problems • Psychosomatic complaints • Sexual behavior problems • Aggression/passivity • Acting out MITNICK '10

  26. MITNICK '10

  27. ISSUES IN INTERVENTION • May feign not knowing or remembering • Need to feel competent • Need to know not alone • Need not to be blamed • May recant if threatened or intimidated MITNICK '10

  28. IDENTITY vs. ROLE CONFUSION (14-24 Years) • Identity formation • Independence • Rebellion/risk taking • Revisit old problems MITNICK '10

  29. IDENTITY vs. ROLE CONFUSION (14-24 Years) • Premature emancipation • Retaliation • Self-injurious behavior • Internalizing pain • Sexual problems • Problems with authority figures • Negative identity formation MITNICK '10

  30. ISSUES IN INTERVENTION • Require patience • Need help reporting embarrassing, disgusting details • Need not to be talked down to • Need to be kept informed • Need to understand own reactions MITNICK '10

  31. ISSUES W/ “COMPLIANT” VICTIMS • Don’t see self as “victim”  minimize/deny • Believe can cope w/ situation • Self-blame due to “consent” • Believe they are “in love”/special • May disclose because relationship ended, not to end relationship MITNICK '10

  32. EXPECT • Denial • Minimization • Incomplete account • “I forget” • Claim of consent • Exaggeration • Blaming self, others, not offender • Lying MITNICK '10

  33. ROADBLOCKS • Assumptions • How teen felt and feels now • Who initiated • Why it ended • Why child did or did not disclose • Why child makes contradictory statements • How caregiver(s) reacted MITNICK '10

  34. WORKING WITH ADOLESCENT VICTIMS • Check yourself for: • Anger • Mistrust • Feeling pressured • Blaming the victim MITNICK '10

  35. REMEMBER • Many victims have co-occurring problems • Poverty • Dysfunctional family relationships • Absent father/mother • Mental health issues • Poor performance in school • Previous abuse/neglect MITNICK '10

  36. INTERVENTIONS • Social service and mental health screening should always ask about other forms of victimization when one type is reported or known – within the past year and for the teen’s lifetime • Screening should always look for co-occurring psychological maltreatment MITNICK '10

  37. INTERVENTIONS • Polyvictims should receive mental health assessments with experienced professional MITNICK '10

  38. INTERVENTION • Prevention efforts for teens should move beyond “Stranger danger” • Prevention efforts should focus on • Statutory relationships • Internet victimization • Other exploitation MITNICK '10

  39. INTERVENTION • Foensic interviews should be expanded to include questions about computers, pornography and the Internet regardless of relationship with suspected/known offender(s) • All interviews should not confuse victim/perpetrator dynamics MITNICK '10

  40. INTERVENTION • Interviewers should not expect younger teens to be able to understand consequences of choices • Interventions should not “out” teen’s sexual orientation • Interventions should not be hostile or coercive MITNICK '10

  41. FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE IMPACT OF CRIME • Temperament • Past experiences • Interpretation of event(s) • Stage of development • Intensity of the event • Support system • Problem-solving skills MITNICK '10

  42. FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE IMPACT OF CRIME • Others’ responses to event • Extent of exposure to event • Likelihood of recurrence • Role of the child in the event MITNICK '10

  43. REMEMBER • It’s not the event, but how the child processes the event, that causes damage. MITNICK '10

  44. MITNICK '10

More Related