Special Feature: Children Exposed to Violence

Research suggests that witnessing violence can have detrimental effects similar to being a direct victim of violence.
Children’s exposure to violence and trauma can seriously harm their brain development and lead to several long-term negative consequences. New and evolving brain science reveals that a child’s positive and negative experiences can literally shape, and reshape, the brain.
According to the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV II), which was conducted in 2011 as a follow up to the original NatSCEV I survey conducted in 2008, approximately 57.7 percent of children were exposed to at least one of the following forms of violence in the past year: physical assault, sexual victimization, maltreatment, property victimization and witnessing violence.
Research has found, though, that individuals can heal from trauma. One of the most significant predictors of a child’s resiliency in the face of trauma is consistent interaction with a caring and supportive adult.
Visit the following pages for additional information and resources produced or sponsored by the Office of Justice Programs and other federal sources:
Links from the NCJRS website to non-federal sites do not constitute an endorsement by NCJRS or its sponsors. NCJRS is not responsible for the content or privacy policy of any off-site pages that are referenced, nor does NCJRS guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or correct sequencing of information. NCJRS is also not responsible for the use of, or results obtained from the use of, the information. It is the responsibility of the user to evaluate the content and usefulness of information obtained from non-federal sites.