Early Childhood Violence Exposure Patterns in The Drakenstein Child Health Study (DCHS)

Author:

Tsunga LucindaORCID,Lake MarilynORCID,Halligan Sarah L.,Malcolm-Smith SusanORCID,Hoffman Nadia,Heron JonORCID,Zar HeatherORCID,Fraser AbigailORCID,Donald KirstenORCID,Stein Dan J.ORCID

Abstract

Background: Research has highlighted high rates of exposure to violence among South African youth. However, work to date has been largely cross-sectional, focused on violence exposure during the adolescence period, and has been limited to specific types of violence exposure. We examined violence exposure in South African preschool children between 3 and 6 years of age, capturing both direct and indirect forms of violence, and tested for potential sex differences across the several types of exposures. Methods: Lifetime direct and indirect exposure to domestic and community violence was measured by parental report when children were 3.5 years (N = 530), 4.5 years (N = 749) and 6 years of age (N= 417) in a South African birth cohort located in a peri-urban community. Results: There are three main findings. First, a large proportion of children (72%-75%) were reported as having been exposed to some form of direct or indirect violent experience in their homes or communities from a young age. Second, there was significant polyvictimization,  with 49% of the children being exposed to more than one type of violence by age 6. Third, by 4.5 years of age, there was evidence that boys were more likely than girls to be exposed to domestic victimisation (28% vs. 17%) and polyvictimization (38% vs. 28%). Conclusions: These findings highlight the high levels of violence exposure in young South African children, particularly among boys, and the need for prevention at both the community and individual levels.

Funder

Medical Research Council

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Wellcome

University of Bristol Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) -Research and Enterprise Strategic Research Fund

Academy of Medical Sciences Newton Advanced Fellowship

SA Medical Research Council

National Research Foundation

US Brain and Behaviour Foundation Independent Investigator Grant

University of Bristol Quality-related Research Global Challenges Research Fund (QRGCRF) Strategy funded by Research England

Publisher

F1000 Research Ltd

Subject

General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,Medicine (miscellaneous)

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