{"id":18284,"date":"2025-03-18T11:23:24","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T09:23:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nscr.nl\/de-gevolgen-van-slachtofferschap-op-je-gezondheid\/"},"modified":"2025-03-18T11:39:42","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T09:39:42","slug":"the-impact-of-victimization-on-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nscr.nl\/en\/the-impact-of-victimization-on-health\/","title":{"rendered":"The impact of victimization on health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>This article was previously published on <a href=\"https:\/\/vu.nl\/en\/news\/2025\/the-impact-of-victimization-on-health\">the website of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Being a victim of a violent crime\u2014or another traumatic event\u2014can leave deep physical and mental scars. Behavioural geneticist Bodine Gonggrijp investigated the relationship between victimization, mental health issues, and biological processes at VU Amsterdam.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018My research shows that victimization are often linked to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and loneliness,\u2019 says Gonggrijp. \u2018I specifically examined experiences of crime, including violent offences, sexual assaults, and thefts. Victimization can also influence epigenetic processes, such as an accelerated ageing process in the body.\u2019 She concludes that these effects are not solely caused by victimization\u00a0itself but are also influenced by genetic predisposition and environmental factors.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Twins as research model<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>To explore this, Gonggrijp studied twin pairs participating in the Netherlands Twin Register at VU Amsterdam. \u2018By comparing twin pairs in which one has been a victim and the other has not, I was able to distinguish between the direct consequences of victimization and the effects of genetic or environmental factors,\u2019 she explains.<\/p>\n<p>Gonggrijp concludes that individuals who are already vulnerable, for instance, due to psychological issues, have a higher likelihood of becoming victims. This aligns with previous research findings: perpetrators often try to minimise the risks of their actions by targeting individuals perceived as vulnerable. \u2018This means it is important not only to examine the consequences of victimization but also to consider factors that can increase a person\u2019s vulnerability,\u2019 Gonggrijp states.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Biological ageing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Gonggrijp studied biological ageing in people who have experienced severe negative events (including victimization) using epigenetic biomarkers. Several such biomarkers have been developed to measure biological age. \u2018In my research, I found that significant life events, such as financial difficulties and sexual victimhood, were particularly associated with an accelerated ageing process, as measured by epigenetic age indicators,\u2019 says Gonggrijp.<\/p>\n<p>These associations remained even after adjusting for factors such as smoking and body mass index (BMI). However, comparisons within discordant twin pairs suggest that genetic and shared environmental factors may also play a role in this relationship, highlighting the complexity of the link between victimization and accelerated ageing.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Practical implications<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Gonggrijp hopes her research will contribute to a better understanding of the impact of victimization and the mechanisms involved. \u2018By taking genetic and environmental influences into account, we can better understand why some people are more vulnerable than others,\u2019 she says. This could provide valuable insights for professionals and policymakers, for example, in developing preventive interventions and targeted support for at-risk groups.<\/p>\n<h2>More information<\/h2>\n<p>Bodine Gonggrijp: <a href=\"https:\/\/research.vu.nl\/en\/publications\/invisible-scars-unraveling-the-epigenetic-and-mental-health-conse\">Invisible Scars: Unraveling the Epigenetic and Mental Health Consequences of Victimization &#8211; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Gonggrijp will defend her dissertation on 24 March 2025 at 11:45 \u2013 13:15 in the Auditorium of the Main building, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. See also <a href=\"https:\/\/vu.nl\/en\/events\/2025\/phd-defence-b-m-a-gonggrijp\">the agenda item on the website of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Supervisors are Prof. Dr Dorret Boomsma and Prof. Catrien Bijleveld LL.M. Co-supervisors are Dr Jenny van Dongen and Dr Steve van de Weijer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article was previously published on the website of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.\u00a0 Being a victim of a violent crime\u2014or another traumatic event\u2014can leave deep physical and mental scars. Behavioural geneticist Bodine Gonggrijp investigated the relationship between victimization, mental health issues, and biological processes at VU Amsterdam. \u2018My research shows that victimization are often linked [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":18278,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The impact of victimization on health<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bodine Gonggrijp (NSCR\/VU) will defend her dissertation 24 March 2025 at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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