Youth Victimization

Trends

Since 1995, violent and serious violent victimization reported by adolescents age 12 – 18 has decreased by about 80%. Other 

forms of victimization, including physical and sexual abuse, have declined 55% and 57%, respectively. Neglect has declined 

7%, medical neglect 51%, and psychological abuse 13%.C

Did You Know?

82.1% of child fatality victims in 2014 

were under 5 years old.E

12% of child fatality victims received 

family preservation services within the 

previous 5 years.E

In 2014, 2/3 of children age 0-17 were 

exposed to some form of violence.B

In 2010, nearly 70% of youth who were 

harassed online were girls.F

2017 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide: Crime and Victimization Fact Sheets

Child, youth, and teen victimization is an important subset of crime. While children and youth are often victims of the 

same crimes as adults (e.g., theft, assault), they are also vulnerable to many other crimes including neglect, medical 

neglect, and psychological abuse. As a result of this and more stringent guidelines regarding data collection from 

minors, researchers often struggle to gather comprehensive data regarding childhood victimization.A Age and lack 

of independence both contribute to higher levels of vulnerability among children, and certain environments pose 

a greater threat than others. Childhood exposure to victimization increases the probability of experiencing future 

victimization as well as multiple forms of victimization (polyvictimization).B For more on youth victimization, see the 

School and Campus Crime fact sheet in this series.

In 2014, children under one year old accounted for 24% of child victimization, and the average rate of victimization for this 

age group was 2.6x higher than the rate of victimization for all children. The victimization rate for boys ages 1–5 was slightly 

higher (nearly 3%) than for girls. Similarly, the rate of victimization for girls ages 11–17 was 42% higher than the rate for boys

 the same age.E

*Theft estimates may be unreliable and should be interpreted with caution.

Victimization of Youth, Age 12-18, by Type of VictimizationC

rate per 1,000 students

1995

165.7

147.4

3.7

2.3

35.7

50.4

1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 2013

200

31.0

29.2

10.5

1.5

0.5

0

50

100

150

200

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

Victimization of Youth 12-18

(per 1,000 Students)

Age 12-14

Age 15-17

Violent:

Age 12-14

Age 15-17

Serious Violent:

Age 12-14

Age 15-17

Theft:*

Child VictimizationD

rate per 1,000 students

Total victimization

Neglect

Physical abuse

Sexual abuse

Psychological abuse

Medical neglect

9.4

2.4

1.0

1.2

20

7.1

1.6

0.6

0.8

0.2

7.3

12.2

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2014

0.5

2012

0

5

10

15

20

Victimization by AgeE

rate per 1,000 children

25

24.4

12.3 11.6 11.0 11.0 11.2 10.6 9.8 8.9 8.2 7.5 7.1 7.1 7.0 6.8 6.8

5.7

3.5

<1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

7.0
SOURCES

A “Prevalence of Child Victimization, Abuse, Crime, and Violence Exposure,” 

in J.W. White, M.P. Koss, and A.E. Kazdin (Eds.), Violence Against Women and 

Children: Mapping the Terrain, (Washington, DC: American Psychological 

Association, 2011), 9-28

B David Finkelhor et al., National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence 

(2011), “Polyvictimization: Children’s Exposure to Multiple Types of Violence, Crime, and Abuse,” https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/235504.

pdf, “Children’s Exposure to Violence, Crime, and Abuse: An Update,” 

https://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248547.pdf

C Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, Concatenated File, 2014, (U.S. Department of Justice)

D Child Trends, “Child Maltreatment 2016,” (based on CDC data), www.

childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/40_appendix2.pdf

E Children’s Bureau, Child Maltreatment 2014, (U.S. Department of Health 

& Human Services, 2016), https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/

cm2014.pdf

F Lisa M. Jones, Kimberly J. Mitchell, and David Finkelhor, “Online Harassment in Context: Trends from Three Youth Internet Safety Surveys,” Psych 

of Violence vol 3, 1(2013): 53-69

As of 2010, online youth victimization had doubled 

compared to 2000. While this increase may be partially 

related to increased online anonymity and associated 

reduced inhibitions, researchers also believe that more youth 

interactions (both positive and negative) have moved online.F

In 2014, 78% of child victimization perpetrators were parents of the victim, and 79% of child fatalities were committed by 

at least one parent. Specifically, 28% of child fatalities were committed by the mother, 15% by the father, and 22% by both 

parents.E

Compared to all measured races and ethnicities, 

African-American children are the most vulnerable to 

victimization, and Asian children are the least vulnerable. 

In 2014, the rate of victimization among African-American 

children was 82% higher than the rate of victimization 

among white children, 74% higher than among Hispanic 

children, and 44% higher than children who identified as 

more than one race. The victimization rate for the second 

most vulnerable group, American Indian and Alaska Native 

children, was 60% higher than among white children, 52% 

higher than among Hispanic children, and 26% higher than 

among children of multiple races.E

Current Data on Youth Victimization

Perpetrator Relationship to VictimE

Parent (78%)

Other relative (6%) 

Unmarried partner (4%)

Multiple relationships (4%)

Other (5%)

Unknown (3%)

Vic$m Rela$onship to the Perpetrator 

Parent 

Other Rela$ve 

Unmarried Partner 

Mul$ple Rela$onships 

Other 

Unknown 

Mother and Father 

Parents and Non-Parents 

Other Rela3ve 

Child Daycare Provider 

Other 

Fatalaties by Relationship to PerpetratorE

Father (15%)

Both parents (22%)

Mother (28%)

1,068 

child 

fatalities

Parents (65%) 

Parents and 

non-parents (15%)

Other relative (4%)

Daycare provider (2%)

Other (15%)

Victimization by Race and EthnicityE

rate per 1,000 children

8.6

8.4

8.8

10.6

15.3

1.7

13.4

African American

American Indian/

Alaska Native

Multiple races

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Asian

20

Online Victimization, Age 10-17F

20%

Any 

harassment

6 6

9

6

4

Bothered/ 

harassed

11

2000

2005

2010

2

5

Threatened

3

Distressing 

harassment

3 3

5