Exposure to and Perpetration of Violence

• In Event: ISRD Panel 2: Violence and Victimization Across Various Contexts

Abstract

Extant research has established that a high share of youths who commit acts of violence have been victims themselves. This study focuses on the victim-offender overlap among youths in Oslo and asks how do experiences of victim-offender overlap among youth in Oslo influence their attitudes towards violence? Empirically, it utilizes data collected from the fourth International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD4), with a sample of 1598 individuals aged 13-18 from 71 school-classes in Oslo.
We examine associations between self-reported acts of violence, exposure to violence, and attitudes towards violence among adolescents. Multilevel generalized linear regression models are employed to examine how various factors as demographic, family, school, and neighborhood may influence the likelihood of experiencing violence, both as victims and offenders. Youths who have not experienced violence, either as offenders or victims are the control group. The findings indicate that around 44% of the youths who committed violent acts were also victims of violence. Preliminary analyses indicate that the victim-offender overlap group is more likely to believe that committing violent acts to harm someone is not wrong, however they do not differ in their attitudes towards violence without a harm intent from youths who have not been exposed to, or perpetrated violent acts. The findings of this study will contribute to a better understanding of the correlation between adolescent experiences of violence and their attitudes towards violence. The results may provide valuable insights for developing interventions and prevention strategies aimed at reducing violence among adolescents in Oslo.

Authors

• Andreea Ioana Alecu, University of Oslo

• Camilla Løvschall Langeland, University of Oslo