Violence Continues in the Lives of Many Young Victims
JUNE 2, 2010
A new epidemiolody study from Penn and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was featured on WHYY.com. The study found that young victims are frequently attacked again, or lash out themselves in retaliation. Researchers briefly interviewed adolescent emergency room patients at Children's Hospital, and asked them to take part in telephone surveys over the next 8 weeks. Douglas Wiebe, PhD, assistant professor of Epidemiology, says the 42 patients who participated in the study reported high levels of violence in their lives after their injury: "Eighteen percent had been beaten up since they left the emergency room; 21 percent had beaten someone else up; 3 percent had shot or stabbed someone; and 3 percent had been shot or stabbed." He said the study demonstrates the need to connect young victims to resources to help prevent further violence.
