There has been considerable concern over victimization from violence in Norway over the last couple of years. This study investigated risk groups for victimization with special emphasis on the importance of immigrant background. All students enrolled in the secondary school system in Oslo (ages 13-18, N = 10,812) filled in a questionnaire at school. 79 % had a background from Norway, the rest had a background from other countries. 32% had experienced mild victimization, 12% had experienced moderately serious victimization, while 6% had experienced serious victimization - defined as being hurt so hard as to need medical treatment. Serious victimization was related to working-class background, having parents who were economically inactive, living in the eastern part of Oslo, and to immigrant background. However, immigrant adolescents also had low rates of mild and moderate victimization, and thus high rates of non-victimization. These associations to immigrant background persisted, also when we controlled for other variables. Overall, immigrant background is associated with reduced risk for victimization. However, a sub-segment of immigrants are at increased risk of serious violent victimization, also when we control for other risk factors.

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Norway human violence child behavior ethnology Humans Adolescent male female Socioeconomic Factors risk factor Risk Factors socioeconomics questionnaire victim Article Adolescent Behavior Questionnaires migration Emigration and Immigration Crime Victims