Citation

Izugbara CO, Obiyan MO. Lancet Glob. Health 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00487-3

PMID

34822756

Abstract

Violence against children and young people occurs worldwide. Annually, an estimated 1 billion people aged 18 years or younger experience one or more forms of violence. Young survivors of violence suffer multiple adverse social, behavioural, and health consequences, including protracted stress, low self-esteem, helplessness, anxiety, depression, risk taking, and poor learning outcomes. These individuals also frequently consider, attempt, or carry out suicide, show heightened insensitivity to future violence, are uncaring towards others, and tend, themselves, to become violent. Adult survivors of childhood violence have heightened risks for substance dependence, sexual risk taking, poor mental health, criminality, abusive parenting, poor social functionality, and extended risks for subsequent polyvictimisation and revictimisation.

iolence and HIV in children weigh disproportionately on the disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Both violence and HIV are mutually reinforcing; violence against children and young people amplifies the risk for HIV in children, and HIV intensifies a child's risk for multiple forms of violence. Together, violence and HIV in children, if unaddressed, can create a large population of unhealthy and maladjusted people at risk for exclusion and lifelong poor health...

Language: en