Research Centre on Child Studies

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Publications

Violence in urban community: local diagnosis of security and victimization.I

Publication . Sani, Ana Isabel; Nunes, Laura M.; Caridade, Sónia; Azevedo, Vanessa

Community violence is one of the phenomena that most affects perceptions of security. Moreover, when it is associated with violent or criminal victimization (both direct and indirect), it can deeply impact a population’s level of security and fear of crime within a specific geographical context. Accordingly, to develop appropriate helpful responses to victims of violence and crime, it is particularly relevant to assess people’s perceptions, to be aware of their victimization experiences and to identify their needs. The Diagnosis of Local Security (DLS) is a community assessment measure that allows for not only the gathering of information about criminal occurrences in a specific geographical area but also the collection of data on experiences of victimization and feelings of (in)security. The DLS became an internationally well-known procedure that empirically supports the development of community interventions. In this regard, based on a study that we are conducting through the community project “LookCrim,” in this chapter, we propose to analyze the DLS’s potential to assess perceptions of (in)security with respect to the experience of victimization to discuss the challenges of and the responses to the phenomenon of community violence.

2020Book part

Restricted access

Youth victims of community violence: developmental outcomes and prevention challenges

Publication . Caridade, Sónia; Sani, Ana Isabel; Nunes, Laura M.; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta

Community violence (CV) is recognized as a complex problem, with multiple origins and expressed in variable ways, encompassing different types of violence and crimes (e.g., assault, rape, robbery), as a result of circumstances that are related to the characteristics of the environment. Due to socialization and independence processes that are part of youth developmental pathways, young people tend to spend more time away from home and on the street, becoming more exposed to violence and thus also contributing to repeated victimization processes. Different studies have shown that distinct situations may promote numerous victimization processes, with a particular impact on the developmental outcomes of youth and causing great suffering. It has been reported that exposure to violence in the community is associated with mental health issues, i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, aggressive and antisocial behaviours, alcohol and substance abuse, along with multiple adverse health risk behaviours, suicidal ideation, and also resulting in subsequent homelessness in adulthood. With this review chapter, it is intended to analyse and discuss the impact that CV exposure has on youth, accompanied with practical proposals to prevent it. The concept of CV and the different types of violence and crimes that could be involved are examined, mapping the prevalence of youth affected by this form of violence, analysing the effects of exposure to CV, and concluding with initiatives aimed to contribute to the prevention against this sort of violence, and to minimize the consequences and suffering involved.

2020Book part

Open access

Cyber dating abuse victimization and association with offline dating violence.

Publication . Caridade, Sónia; Ataíde, Isa; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta

Despite the positive effects associated with information and communication technologies (ICTs) on youth socialization process (e.g., ability to exercise self-control, to promote tolerance and respect for others, to adequately express feelings, to exercise critical thinking, and to make decisions), negative effects have also been documented (e.g., cyberbullying or online risk taking behaviour), including cyber dating abuse (CDA). Some studies have been documenting that CDA is an extension of offline dating violence (ODV). Accordingly, this chapter summarizes the findings when analysing the association between CDA and ODV in a sample of 145 Portuguese adolescents and young adults, mostly female (89%), with mean age of 23.54 and standard deviation (SD) of 4.01 years. Results show that CDA and ODV are very prevalent among Portuguese youth involved in dating relationships and that both types of abuse were positively associated in terms of victimization and perpetration. The co-occurrence of CDA and ODV signals the importance of finding additional strategies to encourage more cautious use of ICTs in order to prevent specific situations between dating partners, able to trigger abusive behaviour.

2020Book part

Restricted access