Childhood Sexual Abuse and Sociodemographic Factors Prospectively Associated with Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among South African Heterosexual Men

Experiences of violence among female and male grade eight learners: baseline findings from the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) trial across three South African townships

Background: South African adolescents experience disproportionally high rates of violence, with lifelong health, social and economic impacts. Few papers present risk factors associated with experiences of adolescent violence. Methods: A baseline cross-sectional survey was done (April 2017 – Sept 2018) with 3432 grade 8 learners in the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) trial from 26 high schools in three townships (Soweto and Tembisa, Gauteng and Khayelitsha, Western Cape). Collected data on lifetime experiences of different types of violence, perpetrators, and place of violence. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to enumerate experiences of, and factors associated with violence. Results: A total of 2383 respondents are included. Most (63.1%) were girls, 81.5% aged 12-14. In total 25.9% had ever experienced violence, higher among boys (p=<0.001). Physical violence was most common (35.7%), then psychological (21.8%), sexual (13.1%), neglect (10.6%), cyberbullying (7.6%), corporal punishment (6.5%) and economic abuse (4.8%). Boys experienced more physical violence (36.0%); girls experienced more psychological violence (22.2%). Gauteng had double the reports of sexual violence (18.4% vs 7.6%, p<0.001). Violence happened most at school (27.4%), followed by the park (19.8%) or their friends’ home (12.9%). Multivariate analysis showed that boys (aOR 1.68; 95% CV 1.32-2.14; p<0.001), those aged 15-17 years (aOR 1.41; 95% CV 1.04-1.89; p=0.025), those who ever used substances (aOR 1.90; 95% CI 1.9-2.28; p<0.001), and those who sometimes feel worthless (aOR 1.33; 95% CI 1.09-1.63, p=0.005) were at higher odds of ever experiencing violence. Those who had ever had sex were more likely to have ever experienced violence (aOR 1.42; 95% CI 1.10-1.83; p=0.008). Conclusion: Urgently need wider adoption, scaling, and sustaining of evidence-based primary violence prevention and structural interventions are required to reduce the high burden of adolescent violence. Stakeholders across the ecological model are needed to tackle harmful cultural norms that perpetuate violence.

Association between lifetime sexual violence victimization and selected health conditions and risk behaviors among 13-24-year-olds in Lesotho: Results from the Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS), 2018

BACKGROUND

Sexual violence is a serious public health concern worldwide. In Lesotho, one in seven women and one in twenty men aged 18 years and older experienced sexual violence during childhood. Sexual violence victimization may lead to long-term mental and physical health issues among victims, regardless of gender.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence of lifetime sexual violence victimization (SV) among 13-24-year-olds in Lesotho and assess its association with selected health conditions and risk behaviors.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Data from 13 to 24-year-old participants (n = 8568) of the 2018 Lesotho Violence Against Children and Youth Survey were analyzed.

METHODS

SV was defined as reporting one or more types of sexual violence at any age. Logistic regression analyses measured associations between SV and selected health conditions (suicidal thoughts, self-harm behaviors, mental distress, STIs, and HIV), and risk behaviors (binge drinking in the past 30 days, drug use in the past 30 days, infrequent condom use in the past 12 months, multiple sex partners in the past 12 months, and transactional sex in the past 12 months).

RESULTS

After controlling for study covariates, SV was significantly associated with self-harm behaviors, suicidal thoughts, ever having an STI, binge drinking in the past 30 days, infrequent condom use in the past 12 months, and multiple sex partners in the past 12 months for both males and females; and mental distress and transactional sex in the past 12 months for females.

CONCLUSIONS

Preventing SV against children and youth in Lesotho may improve their health and wellbeing.

Experiences of violence among female and male grade eight learners: baseline findings from the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) trial across three South African townships

Background: South African adolescents experience disproportionally high rates of violence, with lifelong health, social and economic impacts. Few papers present risk factors associated with experiences of adolescent violence. Methods: A baseline cross-sectional survey was done (April 2017 – Sept 2018) with 3432 grade 8 learners in the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) trial from 26 high schools in three townships (Soweto and Tembisa, Gauteng and Khayelitsha, Western Cape). Collected data on lifetime experiences of different types of violence, perpetrators, and place of violence. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to enumerate experiences of, and factors associated with violence. Results: A total of 2383 respondents are included. Most (63.1%) were girls, 81.5% aged 12-14. In total 25.9% had ever experienced violence, higher among boys (p=<0.001). Physical violence was most common (35.7%), then psychological (21.8%), sexual (13.1%), neglect (10.6%), cyberbullying (7.6%), corporal punishment (6.5%) and economic abuse (4.8%). Boys experienced more physical violence (36.0%); girls experienced more psychological violence (22.2%). Gauteng had double the reports of sexual violence (18.4% vs 7.6%, p<0.001). Violence happened most at school (27.4%), followed by the park (19.8%) or their friends’ home (12.9%). Multivariate analysis showed that boys (aOR 1.57; 95% CV 1.27-1.94; p=0.000), those aged 15-17 years (aOR 1.41; 95% CV 1.07-1.84; p=0.013), those who ever used substances (aOR 1.92; 95% CI 1.54-2.37; p=0.000), and those who sometimes feel worthless (aOR 1.35; 95% CI 1.10-1.64, p=0.003) were at higher odds of ever experiencing violence. Those who had never had sex were less likely to have ever experienced violence (aOR 0.66; 95% CI 0.51-0.83; p=0.001). Conclusion: Urgently need wider adoption, scaling, and sustaining of evidence-based primary violence prevention and structural interventions are required to reduce the high burden of adolescent violence. Stakeholders across the ecological model are needed to tackle harmful cultural norms that perpetuate violence.

Unique and Shared Correlates of Sexual Violence Perpetration and Sexual Risk Behavior Among South African Adolescent Boys

Associations between sexual risk behavior (SRB) and sexual violence perpetration (SVP) contribute to the intersecting HIV and sexual violence epidemics in South Africa. We examined SVP and SRB, and their potential correlates among South African boys (N = 80; ages 15-17). Fifty-one percent endorsed SVP in the past year; 61% engaged in past-3-month SRB. Whereas most unique correlates were socio-structural, family, or community factors, correlates shared across behaviors were behavior-specific social norm perceptions and cognitive factors. In final multivariate models, food insecurity and positive attitudes toward delaying sex were associated with SVP (odds ratios [ORs] = 3.05 and 0.37, respectively), and community violence exposure, gender equitable social norm perceptions, positive attitudes toward delaying sex, and intentions to obtain sexual consent were associated with SRBs (ORs = 1.56-1.57, 0.90-0.38, 0.58-0.60, respectively). Interventions to address HIV/sexual violence risk among adolescents in South Africa should be integrated and multilevel.

Experiences of violence among female and male grade eight learners: baseline findings from the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) trial across three South African townships

Background: South African adolescents experience disproportionally high rates of violence, with lifelong health, social and economic impacts. Few papers present risk factors associated with experiences of adolescent violence. Methods: A baseline cross-sectional survey was done (April 2017 – Sept 2018) with 3432 grade 8 learners in the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) trial from 26 high schools in three townships (Soweto and Tembisa, Gauteng and Khayelitsha, Western Cape). Collected data on lifetime experiences of different types of violence, perpetrators, and place of violence. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to enumerate experiences of, and factors associated with violence. Results: A total of 2383 respondents are included. Most (63.1%) were girls, 81.5% aged 12-14. In total 26% had ever experienced violence, higher among boys (p=<0.001). Physical violence was most common (35.7%), then psychological (21.8%), sexual (13.1%), neglect (10.6%), cyberbullying (7.6%), corporal punishment (6.5%) and economic abuse (4.8%). Boys experienced more physical violence (36.0%); girls experienced more psychological violence (22.2%). Gauteng had double the reports of sexual violence (18.4% vs 7.6%, p<0.001). Violence happened most at school (27.4%), followed by the park (19.8%) or their friends’ home (12.9%). Multivariate analysis showed that boys (aOR 1.57; 95% CV 1.27-1.94; p=0.000), those aged 15-17 years (aOR 1.41; 95% CV 1.07-1.84; p=0.013), those who ever used substances (aOR 1.92; 95% CI 1.54-2.37; p=0.000), and those who sometimes feel worthless (aOR 1.35; 95% CI 1.10-1.64, p=0.003) were at higher odds of ever experiencing violence. Those who had never had sex were less likely to have ever experienced violence (aOR 0.66; 95% CI 0.51-0.83; p=0.001). Conclusion: Urgently need wider adoption, scaling, and sustaining of evidence-based primary violence prevention and structural interventions are required to reduce the high burden of adolescent violence. Stakeholders across the ecological model are needed to tackle harmful cultural norms that perpetuate violence.

Childhood Trauma and Dissociative Intimate Partner Violence

The present study assesses childhood abuse/neglect as a predictor of dissociative intimate partner violence (IPV) among 118 partner-abusive men. One third (36%) endorsed dissociative IPV, most commonly losing control (18%), surroundings seeming unreal (16%), feeling someone other than oneself is aggressing (16%), and seeing oneself from a distance aggressing (10%). Childhood physical abuse/neglect predicted IPV-specific derealization/depersonalization, aggressive self-states, and flashbacks to past violence. Childhood emotional abuse/neglect predicted derealization/depersonalization, blackouts, and flashbacks. Childhood sexual abuse uniquely predicted amnesia. Other potential traumas did not predict dissociative IPV, suggesting dissociative IPV is influenced by trauma-based emotion dysregulation wherein childhood abuse/neglect survivors disconnect from their abusive behavior.