Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.
Center on Gender Equity and Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California, USA.
BMC Public Health. 2023 Nov 21;23(1):2300. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-17199-x.
Young women and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Non-binary/no gender, or Questioning (LGBTQ+) youth in South Africa face some of the highest global levels of intimate partner violence (IPV). Given limited evidence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has fuelled IPV globally, we aimed to describe and compare experiences and perpetration of IPV of youth aged 16-24 by sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI).
During the study period (December 2021-May 2022), youth aged 16-24 from eThekwini district, South Africa completed an online survey to understand multilevel impacts of the pandemic on youth. Participants were asked about experiences and perpetration of physical IPV since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020). Descriptive statistics and adjusted logistic regressions compared the likelihood of experiencing and/or perpetrating physical IPV between cisgender and transgender inclusive heterosexual men; heterosexual women; gay, bisexual, or questioning men [GBQM]; lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning women [LGBQW]; or gender/sexual non-conforming youth [non-conforming].
Of 1,588 youth (mean age = 21.7 [SD = 2.3]; 71.7% Black) with non-missing SOGI and physical IPV data, 238 (15.0%) were LGBTQ+ (40.3% LGBQW and 36.1% non-conforming). Overall, 14.6% of respondents experienced physical IPV and 9.8% perpetrated physical IPV since the start of the pandemic, which differed by SOGI (12.3% of heterosexual men, 13.9% of heterosexual women, 22.0% of GBQM, 18.2% of LGBQW, and 25.0% of non-conforming youth experienced and 10.3% of heterosexual men; 7.7% of heterosexual women; 10.0% of GBQM; 18.2% of LGBQW; and 16.7% of non-conforming youth perpetrated). In adjusted models, compared to heterosexual women, non-conforming youth had increased odds of experiencing (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.36; 95%CI, 1.26-4.39) physical IPV and compared to heterosexual men, non-conforming youth had greater odds of perpetrating physical IPV (aOR = 2.19; 95%CI, 1.07-4.48) during the pandemic.
Over one in six youth in our study experienced and one in ten perpetrated physical IPV since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with gender and sexual non-conforming youth experiencing and perpetrating IPV at significantly greater rates than cisgender/heterosexual peers. Our findings highlight the need for gender transformative efforts that move beyond the gender binary to support healthy relationships and IPV prevention for LGBTQ + youth in South Africa and globally.
南非的年轻女性和女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、跨性别、非二元性别或性别存疑（LGBTQ+）青年面临着全球最高水平的亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）。鉴于在全球范围内推动 IPV 的 COVID-19 大流行之后，证据有限，我们旨在描述和比较 16-24 岁青年的性取向和性别认同（SOGI）与 IPV 经历和实施情况。
在研究期间（2021 年 12 月至 2022 年 5 月），来自南非 eThekwini 区的 16-24 岁青年完成了一项在线调查，以了解大流行对青年的多层面影响。参与者被问及自 COVID-19 大流行开始以来（2020 年 3 月）身体 IPV 的经历和实施情况。描述性统计和调整后的逻辑回归比较了顺性别和跨性别包容的异性恋男性；异性恋女性；男同性恋、双性恋或质疑男性[GBQM]；女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋或质疑女性[LGBQW]；或性别/性非规范青年[非规范]之间经历和/或实施身体 IPV 的可能性。
在 1588 名有非缺失 SOGI 和身体 IPV 数据的青年中（平均年龄 21.7[SD=2.3]；71.7%为黑人），238 名（15.0%）为 LGBTQ+（40.3%为 LGBQW，36.1%为非规范）。总体而言，14.6%的受访者自大流行开始以来经历过身体 IPV，9.8%的受访者实施过身体 IPV，这与 SOGI 有关（12.3%的异性恋男性、13.9%的异性恋女性、22.0%的 GBQM、18.2%的 LGBQW和 25.0%的非规范青年经历过，10.3%的异性恋男性；7.7%的异性恋女性；10.0%的 GBQM；18.2%的 LGBQW；和 16.7%的非规范青年实施过）。在调整后的模型中，与异性恋女性相比，非规范青年经历身体 IPV 的可能性更高（调整后的优势比[aOR]=2.36；95%置信区间，1.26-4.39），与异性恋男性相比，非规范青年实施身体 IPV 的可能性更高（aOR=2.19；95%CI，1.07-4.48）。
在我们的研究中，超过六分之一的青年经历过身体 IPV，十分之一的青年实施过身体 IPV，自 COVID-19 大流行开始以来，性别和性非规范青年经历和实施 IPV 的比率明显高于顺性别/异性恋同龄人。我们的研究结果强调需要采取性别转换的努力，超越性别二元论，为南非和全球的 LGBTQ+青年提供支持健康关系和 IPV 预防。
