Citation

Devries K. Int. Health 2016; 8(1): 1-2.

Affiliation

Social and Mathematical Epidemiology Group and Gender Violence and Health Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SH, UK karen.devries@lshtm.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/inthealth/ihv076

PMID

26782351

Abstract

In most countries around the world, children and adolescents spend more time in school than any other single location besides the family home. Whether or not children and adolescents are able to attend school, whether they are safe in school and whether they leave school with necessary learning and skills, are affected by their experiences of violence—at home, at school and in the community.

Before children get to school, they are often exposed to violence at home. Analysis of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys data from 28 countries shows that 43% of children aged 2–14 years in African countries, and 9% in ‘transitional’ states, have experienced severe physical violence from caregivers. There are a host of negative health and social consequences associated with exposure to physical violence in childhood, especially during this early period. These include increased risk of depressive disorders and suicide attempts, poor educational attainment3 and increased risk of perpetrating or experiencing intimate partner …

Language: en