What increases your risk of becoming a victim?
Physical abuse, sexual abuse, or rape can happen to anyone. However, the chance of becoming a victim of abuse or rape increases if any of the following risk factors are present.
Risk factors for physical or sexual abuse
You are more likely to be abused if the abuser:
- Uses alcohol or drugs.
- Had a job loss or job change or had a change in the level of income.
- Has a history of acting without thinking (being impulsive) or has a lot of risk-taking behaviours, such as:
- Drinking and driving.
- High-risk sexual behaviour.
- Strong interest in guns and access to a gun.
- Has a history of trying to commit suicide.
- Has a history of violent behaviour.
- Has recently been in jail.
- Has recently separated from or divorced you.
- Is poor and lives in poor conditions.
- Earns less money than you do or is less educated than you are.
- Was abused as a child.
You are more likely to be abused if you:
- Use alcohol or drugs.
- Are pregnant.
- Were abused as a child.
You are more likely to be abused if either you or the abuser has conditions that may affect behaviour, such as:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Chronic pain.
- Depression.
- Mental health problems, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
- Personality disorders.
Risk factors for rape
You are more likely to be a rape victim if you have any of the following risk factors.
- Dating many people at one time
- Accepting any violent behaviour in the dating relationship
- Having a history of sexual abuse
- Ignoring feelings of discomfort or warning signs that someone is behaving inappropriately
- Thinking men hold the power in a relationship
- Being alone or in an unfamiliar environment
- Depending on men for transportation
- Feeling that your dating partner is in control because he or she asked you out and paid for the date
- Using alcohol or drugs
Risk factors for child abuse
A child is more likely to be abused if the parents or caregivers have any of the following risk factors.
- A history of acting without thinking (being impulsive), being violent, or abusing children
- A history of domestic violence
- A history of substance abuse, which may include a problem with alcohol
- Not knowing very much about normal childhood development and expecting too much from a child at a particular age or stage of development.
- A high stress level that is not managed in healthy ways. Common sources of stress include being a single or teen parent or having several young children close in age.
- Lack of support. Parents who lack financial, emotional, and other types of support are more likely to abuse or neglect their children. A parent or caregiver who does not know how to get community social services may have to deal with hardships all by herself or himself.
- A history of having been abused. Caregivers who themselves were abused as children may have low self-esteem, may be depressed, or may have other mental health problems, and that make them more likely to react to stress with violence.
- A history of mental health problems, such as depression
A child is also more likely to be abused when he or she has a physical or mental disability or other health problem, such as:
- Being born early (premature). Babies born early may have more expensive hospital care and may need close monitoring after they are home. They may have ongoing developmental problems. This may be stressful to the parents.
- A physical disability, such as blindness or being confined to a wheelchair.
- Below-normal intelligence.
- Developmental delays.
- A difficult temperament, such as being fussy, strong-willed, or acting without thinking (being impulsive).
- Behaviour problems, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Not bonding with a child is also a risk factor for abuse and neglect. A close bond may not be present if:
- Parents did not want the child.
- Twins, triplets, or more were born and the parents were stressed.
- The baby was separated from the parents because of an early birth or health problems that required the baby to stay in the hospital for a long time.
- The child is being fostered for a short time or adopted.
- The caregiver has mental health problems. For example, a parent who is severely depressed may neglect his or her child without really knowing it.
- A child has a major health problem or disability, such as blindness, deafness, or autism. These types of problems can make it hard to communicate with the child or for the child to give and receive affection.
Risk factors for elder abuse
An older person is more likely to be abused if he or she or the caregivers have any of the following risk factors.
- A history of domestic violence that carries over into the elder years. A large number of elder abuse cases are abuse by a spouse or long-term partner.
- Personal problems of caregivers. People who abuse older adults (often the older person's adult children) are often dependent on the older person for financial support or other support. This is often due to personal problems such as mental illness or other personality problems. The older person is more likely to be abused when these adult children live with the older person.
- Social isolation. Caregivers and family members who live with an older person may keep the older person away from other family members or friends to prevent the abuse from being discovered.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: April 24, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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