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Background and Purpose: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with lifelong health risks, including intimate partner violence (IPV). The Republic of South Africa (RSA) has the world’s highest rate of IPV. We sought to understand how childhood exposure to violence related to women’s experiences of IPV in rural Limpopo, RSA, to inform intervention development.Participants and Setting: Participants were 50 adult women from villages near Thohoyandou and 57 adult female students at the University of Venda.Methods: Participants completed a questionnaire including demographic characteristics. IPV victimization and perpetration in adulthood were measured using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale. We compared female village residents and university students using descriptive statistics. Multivariable logistic regressions examined relationships between childhood violence exposure and adulthood victimization and perpetration of psychological, physical, and sexual violence.Results: Childhood violence exposure significantly predicted adulthood victimization by minor (\({\chi }^{2}\)(1) = 4.540, 𝑝=.033) and severe psychological aggression (\({\chi }^{2}\)(1) = 6.965, 𝑝=.008), and severe physical assault (\({\chi }^{2}\)(1) = 6.130, 𝑝=.013). Witnessing IPV during childhood predicted women’s perpetration of minor sexual coercion \(({\chi }^{2}\)(1) = 5.971, 𝑝=.015). Community-women were more likely to perpetrate severe physical assault than university women (16.1%) (X^2(1) = 4.10, p = .043).Conclusions: Childhood exposure to violence was significantly related to women’s IPV victimization and perpetration experiences in adulthood. Interventions to promote conflict resolution skills in adult partner relationships and reduce IPV are needed for men and women. Action is needed to minimize ACEs among girls, such as witnessing violence between adult intimate partners.

The Republic of South Africa has the highest documented fetal alcohol syndrome prevalence globally. In the Limpopo province, little is known about students’ or community members’ knowledge of fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder rates and risk behaviors. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare knowledge about fetal alcohol syndrome and other fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and the related behaviors such as drinking among University of Venda students and local community residents in villages to inform educational efforts to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome. Participants ([Formula: see text]) were from the University of Venda and two villages, Maungani and Ha-Mangilasi, and completed an epidemiological survey about their characteristics, behaviors, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder risks. We analyzed differences between the university students and community residents in fetal alcohol syndrome knowledge and the related risk behaviors. University students have heard of fetal alcohol syndrome (Fisher’s exact test p < .001), have seen warning labels about drinking during pregnancy (Fisher’s exact test p = .003), and were aware that a baby is born with birth defects if diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (Fisher’s exact test p = .03) with more knowledge of fetal alcohol syndrome compared to community residents. Most respondents thought it was unacceptable to drink during pregnancy. Despite this, a substantial number of participants thought it was acceptable to have one drink after pregnancy recognition. There was little knowledge of best practices about alcohol consumption to prepare for pregnancy, or once recognized. We recommend an education campaign to raise awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders across Limpopo, especially in smaller villages, and further research to determine demographic and experiential risk factors to aid in prevention efforts.