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26 - Children and Violence across the Life Span

A Global and Socioecological Perspective

from Part III - Contemporary Issues in Psychology and Human Rights

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 October 2020

Neal S. Rubin
Affiliation:
Adler University
Roseanne L. Flores
Affiliation:
Hunter College, City University of New York
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Summary

Violence against children is a public health and human rights concern with consequences that reverberate across the life span. Typologies of violence range from interpersonal violence such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, maltreatment, and emotional and psychological violence to more collective forms of violence embedded in sociocultural norms. Consequences of childhood violence include physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes, with differences noted along age and gender lines. This chapter explores the epidemiology of violence against children globally and across the social ecology. Both risk and protective factors are examined, which illuminate key leverage points for prevention and early intervention efforts. Given the multifaceted nature of violence against children, a cross-sectoral approach for addressing this issue is needed. Recommendations are made that span the research, practice, and policy spheres.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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