Odwe George, Obare Francis, Muthuri Stella, Kisaakye Peter, Habteyesus Dagim, Seruwagi Gloria, Wado Yohannes Dibaba, Dessie Yadeta, Wandera Bonnie, Kabiru Caroline W, Undie Chi-Chi
Population Council, P.O Box 17643-00500, Avenue 5, 3rd Floor, Rose Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya.
Population Council, Sealite Mihret Square, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Confl Health. 2025 Apr 17;19(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s13031-025-00661-5.
The association between witnessing intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) and experiencing violence against children (VAC) has received limited attention in humanitarian settings. We examined the prevalence of witnessing IPVAW in childhood and its association with experiencing caregiver-perpetrated physical and emotional VAC and sexual VAC by any perpetrator in Uganda refugee settlements.
Data were from the first-ever Ugandan Humanitarian Violence against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS), conducted from March to April 2022, involving 1,338 females and 927 males aged 13-24 years. Indicators of VAC included ever experiencing sexual (by any perpetrator), physical, or emotional (by a caregiver) violence among 13-17-year-olds and experiencing such violence prior to age 18 among 18-24-year-olds. The analysis entailed cross-tabulation with a chi-square (χ²) test and a multivariate logistic regression model.
The prevalence of witnessing IPVAW in childhood was significantly higher among males (31.2%) compared to females (16.5%). Witnessing IPVAW in childhood was associated with increased odds of experiencing physical VAC by a caregiver for both females (AOR = 2.53; 95% CI = 1.41-4.52) and males (AOR = 3.37; 95% CI = 1.72-6.59). It also significantly increased the odds of experiencing sexual VAC for females (AOR = 3.62; 95% CI = 1.65-7.92) and males (AOR = 5.52; 95% CI = 3.42-8.91). Additionally, witnessing IPVAW increased the odds of experiencing emotional VAC by a caregiver for both females (AOR = 2.61; 95% CI = 1.36-5.03) and males (AOR = 2.78; 95% CI = 1.53-5.07), compared to their peers who did not witness IPVAW.
Witnessing IPVAW in childhood is common in refugee settlements in Uganda and is strongly associated with experiencing VAC perpetrated by a caregiver. Violence prevention and response programs should pay attention to IPVAW as a risk factor for VAC, emphasizing integrated approaches that target both forms of violence within households.
在人道主义环境中，目睹针对妇女的亲密伴侣暴力行为（IPVAW）与遭受针对儿童的暴力行为（VAC）之间的关联受到的关注有限。我们调查了乌干达难民定居点中儿童期目睹IPVAW的患病率，及其与遭受照料者实施的身体和情感暴力以及任何施暴者实施的性暴力之间的关联。
数据来自2022年3月至4月进行的首次乌干达儿童和青年人道主义暴力调查（HVACS），涉及1338名13 - 24岁的女性和927名男性。VAC指标包括13 - 17岁青少年曾经历过性暴力（由任何施暴者实施）、身体暴力或情感暴力（由照料者实施），以及18 - 24岁青少年在18岁之前经历过此类暴力。分析采用卡方（χ²）检验的交叉制表和多变量逻辑回归模型。
与女性（16.5%）相比，男性儿童期目睹IPVAW的患病率显著更高（31.2%）。儿童期目睹IPVAW与女性（调整后的比值比[AOR]=2.53；95%置信区间[CI]=1.41 - 4.52）和男性（AOR = 3.37；95% CI = 1.72 - 6.59）遭受照料者实施的身体暴力的几率增加相关。它还显著增加了女性（AOR = 3.62；95% CI = 1.65 - 7.92）和男性（AOR = 5.52；95% CI = 3.42 - 8.91）遭受性暴力的几率。此外，与未目睹IPVAW的同龄人相比，目睹IPVAW增加了女性（AOR = 2.61；95% CI = 1.36 - 5.03）和男性（AOR = 2.78；95% CI = 1.53 - 5.07）遭受照料者情感暴力的几率。
在乌干达的难民定居点，儿童期目睹IPVAW很常见，且与遭受照料者实施的VAC密切相关。预防和应对暴力项目应将IPVAW作为VAC的一个风险因素加以关注，强调针对家庭内两种暴力形式的综合方法。
