title: Prevalence of Childhood Exposure to Violence, Crime, and Abuse: Results From the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is important to estimate the burden of and trends for violence, crime, and abuse in the lives of children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide health care professionals, policy makers, and parents with current estimates of exposure to violence, crime, and abuse across childhood and at different developmental stages.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV) includes a representative sample of US telephone numbers from August 28, 2013, to April 30, 2014. Via telephone interviews, information was obtained on 4000 children 0 to 17 years old, with information about exposure to violence, crime, and abuse provided by youth 10 to 17 years old and by caregivers for children 0 to 9 years old.
  
  
  METHODS
  Exposure to violence, crime, and abuse using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 37.3% of youth experienced a physical assault in the study year, and 9.3% of youth experienced an assault-related injury. Two percent of girls experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse in the study year, while the rate was 4.6% for girls 14 to 17 years old. Overall, 15.2% of children and youth experienced maltreatment by a caregiver, including 5.0% who experienced physical abuse. In total, 5.8% witnessed an assault between parents. Only 2 significant rate changes could be detected compared with the last survey in 2011, namely, declines in past-year exposure to dating violence and lifetime exposure to household theft.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children and youth are exposed to violence, abuse, and crime in varied and extensive ways, which justifies continued monitoring and prevention efforts.
authors.affiliation: Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Finkelhor
authors.affiliation: Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham.
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shattuck
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Sewanee-The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Sherry L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hamby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000639:trends*