Bridging the gaps: a global review of intersections of violence against women and violence against children

Abstract

BackgroundThe international community recognises violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC) as global human rights and public health problems. Historically, research, programmes, and policies on these forms of violence followed parallel but distinct trajectories. Some have called for efforts to bridge these gaps, based in part on evidence that individuals and families often experience multiple forms of violence that may be difficult to address in isolation, and that violence in childhood elevates the risk of violence against women.MethodsThis article presents a narrative review of evidence on intersections between VAC and VAW – including sexual violence by non-partners, with an emphasis on low- and middle-income countries.ResultsWe identify and review evidence for six intersections: 1) VAC and VAW have many shared risk factors. 2) Social norms often support VAW and VAC and discourage help-seeking. 3) Child maltreatment and partner violence often co-occur within the same household. 4) Both VAC and VAW can produce intergenerational effects. 5) Many forms of VAC and VAW have common and compounding consequences across the lifespan. 6) VAC and VAW intersect during adolescence, a time of heightened vulnerability to certain kinds of violence.ConclusionsEvidence of common correlates suggests that consolidating efforts to address shared risk factors may help prevent both forms of violence. Common consequences and intergenerational effects suggest a need for more integrated early intervention. Adolescence falls between and within traditional domains of both fields and deserves greater attention. Opportunities for greater collaboration include preparing service providers to address multiple forms of violence, better coordination between services for women and for children, school-based strategies, parenting programmes, and programming for adolescent health and development. There is also a need for more coordination among researchers working on VAC and VAW as countries prepare to measure progress towards 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Exploring opportunities for coordinated responses to intimate partner violence and child maltreatment in low and middle income countries: a scoping review

“…Guedes, Bott, Garcia-Moreno, and Colombini (2016) define four aspects of this intersection: (i) overlapping risk factors (e.g. unemployment, poverty and social isolation); (ii) the presence of social norms that condone violence; (iii) co-occurrence of IPV and CM in the same family, which has implications for the intergenerational transmission of violence; and (iv) similar health outcomes.…”

Ending violence in childhood: a global imperative

“…Women and girls have shared risk factors. Guedes, Bott, Garcia-Moreno, and Colombini (2016) highlight that children are more likely to be physically abused in homes in which women are victims of IPV, with estimates of the co-occurrence of the two ranging from 18 to 67%. They also find that girls exposed to violence, either as victims or witnesses, are at greater risk of experiencing physical or sexual violence in adulthood and that men abused or neglected as children are significantly more likely to report perpetrating physical or sexual violence against women.…”

Training the next generation of psychotraumatologists: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology (CONTEXT)

“…Closely linked to GBV is violence against children (VAC). The two forms of violence frequently overlap and co-occur, sharing many risk factors and consequences (Guedes, Bott, Garcia-Moreno, & Colombini, 2016). VAC and GBV are major public health and human rights concerns globally; official prevalence statistics, although worryingly high, are likely underestimated due to chronic under-reporting (Watts & Zimmerman, 2002).…”