Intimate partner violence is the most common form of gender-based violence. Globally 1 in 3 women, and 1 in 6 men experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime. Researchers believe that intimate partner violence may have its roots in childhood.  

A South African study found that more than 50% of participants reported experiencing intimate partner violence by the age of 28. The same study also showed that 48.6% of participants faced physical abuse by age 18, pointing to a serious link with childhood violence. 

The findings, presented by Associate Professor Juliana Kagura from the Wits School of Public Health at the recent Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) forum in Cape Town, drew from the Birth to 20+ (Bt20+) Cohort Study. This longitudinal research, South Africa’s longest-running study of its kind, tracks the lives of 3,273 participants from Soweto, Johannesburg, since 1989.

The study showed that nearly the same percentage of men (59%) and women (55%) experienced IPV, indicating that both genders are equally affected.

In a country grappling with high rates of gender-based violence (GBV), it paints a stark picture of the lasting trauma that affects individuals and families.

“Looking at a cohort study actually provides a privilege to be able to tease out what are the patterns of the development of violence leading into IPV in adulthood,” says Kagura.

The study identified two patterns of physical violence victimisation during childhood. 

The first is chronic or ongoing violence in childhood that worsens over time. The second is violence that occurred mainly during adolescent years and was more occasional. Those who experienced chronic violence were much more likely to experience intimate partner violence as adults, highlighting the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma.

These experiences don’t just fade away; they linger, shaping people’s lives of individuals in profound ways. At age 28 an average of 56.8% of participants reported experiencing IPV, meaning that more than half of the adults in the study faced violence in their romantic relationships. This reality resonates deeply in South Africa, where many stories of IPV are shared across communities and victims are not only left physically scarred but can experience mental health problems.  

The research also highlights how socioeconomic factors play a role. People who were poorer, less educated, or not married were more likely to experience IPV. 

“There’s a need for intervention strategies to help those experiencing ongoing violence, especially in the context of South Africa where 90% of the children in this cohort have been exposed to one form of violence in their childhood and adolescent period”, says Kagura.

What other research shows

A 2024 research paper reviewed 48 studies from 29 African countries, including South Africa, examining the link between childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and later victimisation or perpetration of IPV. 

The research demonstrated that people exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) during childhood have a higher risk of becoming victims of IPV as adults. Specifically, those who experienced IPV as children were found to be 2.24 times more likely to experience physical violence, 2.39 times more likely to face sexual violence, and 1.91 times more likely to encounter emotional violence in adulthood. These findings suggest a strong connection between childhood trauma and adult victimisation.

A large number of studies (38 out of 48) focused on how childhood exposure to IPV increased the likelihood of female victimisation as adults, while only a few (6 out of 48) studied male victimisation. Research indicated that between 8.1% and 67.8% of females who were exposed to IPV in childhood later experienced IPV as adults. Similarly, 22.01% of males who were exposed to childhood IPV became victims in adulthood.

Additionally, 18.1% to 44.6% of males and 40.3% of females exposed to IPV as children admitted to committing IPV in their adult relationships. 

The review highlights that the high rates of childhood IPV exposure in Africa show that early intervention is needed to prevent future victimisation and policies should focus on preventing childhood IPV, using culturally relevant approaches.

This current BT20+ study highlights the urgent need for effective strategies to protect children from violence, as early experiences can have lasting effects on their adult relationships. By tackling the root causes of violence, there is hope for breaking the cycle and improving outcomes for future generations. – Health-e News