Victimization and Polyvictimization in Children and Adolescents in a Violent City at Northern Border of Mexico

Victimization by Caregivers: Prevalence and Risk Factors in Chilean Children and Adolescents

“…Psychological/emotional abuse in the present study was significantly higher than in both Mexican studies, as was neglect. Regarding the prevalence of parental interference reported by the Chilean sample, these are slightly higher than in the study by Méndez-López and Pereda [21] but lower than in the study by Peña Cárdenas, Pinto Cortez [20].…”

“…In the present study, psychological/emotional abuse was reported by 27.9% of the participants, physical abuse by 12.9%, neglect by 5.3%, and parental interference by 3.5%; all these figures surpass the values reported in research from some developed countries [ 9 , 18 , 49 ] (Table 2 shows the prevalence (12 months) of victimization by caregivers). Comparing these results with those from other Latin American countries, such as Mexico, where two studies have been carried out using the same approach [ 20 , 21 ], the figures are divergent. For example, in the case of physical abuse, the data from the Chilean study are higher than those of one of the Mexican studies [ 21 ] but lower than those of the second study [ 20 ].…”

“…Comparing these results with those from other Latin American countries, such as Mexico, where two studies have been carried out using the same approach [ 20 , 21 ], the figures are divergent. For example, in the case of physical abuse, the data from the Chilean study are higher than those of one of the Mexican studies [ 21 ] but lower than those of the second study [ 20 ]. It should be emphasized that both studies were conducted in two different regions of Mexico.…”

“…Studying risk factors for caregiver victimization is relevant because each type of victimization has a specific etiology [ 6 , 22 ]. In the case of victimization by caregivers, it has been found that sex is a risk factor and women are more likely to suffer violence from their caregivers [ 23 ], with physical and psychological abuse being the most frequently reported forms of violence [ 18 , 20 , 24 ]. Regarding age, it has been shown that as age increases, the probability of suffering psychological or emotional abuse by caregivers increases [ 25 , 26 ]; on the contrary, physical abuse is more frequent in younger children [ 25 ].…”

“…In Latin America, it has been found that the most frequent types of violence against children and adolescents in caregiving settings are physical abuse, psychological abuse and emotional deprivation [ 19 ]. For example, in Mexico, on a sample of 874 children and young people, it was found that 23% of the participants were exposed to CV in the year prior to the research [ 20 ], while 16.1% recognized psychological/emotional abuse, 8% physical abuse, 4.2% parental interference/family abduction and 2.4% neglect. Consistent with this study from Mexico, a separate study with a sample of 1068 adolescents reported that 16.5% suffered psychological/emotional maltreatment, 13.8% physical mistreatment, 2.2% parental interference, and 1.4% neglect in the 12 months prior to the study [ 21 ].…”