This presentation will describe the many risks of harm (short-term and long-term) for children exposed to violence in their community. As rates of violent crimes continue to increase across the United States, all victim-serving disciplines must gain greater insight into the damaging effects of exposure to these incidents on the children who reside in their community. With a focus on the emotionally-damaging nature of this exposure, outcome differences by: race, gender, age, proximity, and frequency of community violence exposure will be discussed.
In addition, this training will discuss the overlap between exposure to violence as a child, and risks for subsequent victimization or perpetration of violence in the home and/or community as an adolescent or adult. Finally, critical components of effective and efficient community-inclusive, multi-disciplinary intervention efforts will be described.
Learning Objectives:
List similarities and differences in how children process community violence and family violence.
Describe internalizing and externalizing child behaviors associated with witnessing community violence.
Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts for improving physical and mental health outcomes for children exposed to community violence.
