Scientific article 24. SEP 2019
Violent crime against children with disabilities: A nationwide prospective birth cohort-study
Authors:
The Social Sector
Children, Adolescents and Families
Daycare, school and education
The Social Sector, Children, Adolescents and Families, Daycare, school and education
Background
The rate of violent victimization against children with disabilities is thought to be lower than the rate for children without disabilities but several studies shows otherwise.
Objective
The study focuses on examining violent crime against children with disabilities and explaining differences in victimization, in order to elucidate to what extent types of disability, family disadvantages, gender, high-risk behavior, location and indicator of ethnic minority (e.g. non-Danish citizens) influence adolescents’ risk of violent victimization. Previous population studies in this area lack scientifically sound research methodology and results are weak or inconclusive.
Method
Data is based on a national study of reported violent crime against children in Denmark aged between 7 and 18 years, using total birth cohorts (N = 678,000). Data on types of disability were collected from the Danish national inpatient register. Violent-crime data were extracted from Danish police records. Within the birth cohorts studied, 3.5% of children had experienced a violent crime. A discrete-time Cox model was used for the statistical analysis, which included an extended list of potential risk factors to adjust for confounding.
Results
Children with disabilities are more likely to be victims of a reported violent crime than non-disabled children – ADHD odds ratio: 2.7 (2.6–2.8), mental retardation: 2.7 (2.6–2.7), autism 2.6 (2.5–2.7), loss of hearing 1.4 (1.2–1.5), brain injury: 1.8 (1.7–1.9), physical disabilities 1.4 (1.2–1.5), and blindness 2.0 (1.4–2.8). Speech disability, epilepsy, stuttering, and dyslexia were not associated with increased risk of violent victimization, when adjusted for confounding risk factors and age.
Conclusions
The results of our study provide empirical insight into the first-time prevalence of victimization among children with disability, and into the predicative association between family disadvantages and victimization.
The rate of violent victimization against children with disabilities is thought to be lower than the rate for children without disabilities but several studies shows otherwise.
Objective
The study focuses on examining violent crime against children with disabilities and explaining differences in victimization, in order to elucidate to what extent types of disability, family disadvantages, gender, high-risk behavior, location and indicator of ethnic minority (e.g. non-Danish citizens) influence adolescents’ risk of violent victimization. Previous population studies in this area lack scientifically sound research methodology and results are weak or inconclusive.
Method
Data is based on a national study of reported violent crime against children in Denmark aged between 7 and 18 years, using total birth cohorts (N = 678,000). Data on types of disability were collected from the Danish national inpatient register. Violent-crime data were extracted from Danish police records. Within the birth cohorts studied, 3.5% of children had experienced a violent crime. A discrete-time Cox model was used for the statistical analysis, which included an extended list of potential risk factors to adjust for confounding.
Results
Children with disabilities are more likely to be victims of a reported violent crime than non-disabled children – ADHD odds ratio: 2.7 (2.6–2.8), mental retardation: 2.7 (2.6–2.7), autism 2.6 (2.5–2.7), loss of hearing 1.4 (1.2–1.5), brain injury: 1.8 (1.7–1.9), physical disabilities 1.4 (1.2–1.5), and blindness 2.0 (1.4–2.8). Speech disability, epilepsy, stuttering, and dyslexia were not associated with increased risk of violent victimization, when adjusted for confounding risk factors and age.
Conclusions
The results of our study provide empirical insight into the first-time prevalence of victimization among children with disability, and into the predicative association between family disadvantages and victimization.
Authors
About this publication
Financed by
Selve artiklen var ufinansieret, men den oprindelige data var finansieret af Socialstyrelsen.Published in
child abuse & neglect
