Associations of childhood violence experience and intimate partner violence during adulthood among women in Limpopo, South Africa

Abstract

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.