The effects of violence on adolescents and youth

This study documents the types and risk factors of violence experienced by FSWs. The study was a survey of 305 brothel-based FSWs residing in brothels in Abuja, Nigeria. The mean age of the FSW was 27±5.7 years. The prevalence of VAW six months preceding the survey was 52.8%, 59.5% had experienced three or more episodes of abuse in that interval. Sexual violence was the commonest type (43.3%) of VAW experienced, followed by physical violence 38.7%. The main perpetrators of sexual violence in the last six months were clients (47.5%), brothel owners/co-sex workers (38.2%), police officers (4.0%), local thugs (8.0%) and strangers (2.3%). Sexual violence was significantly more experienced (P=0.002) by FSWs with primary or no education (57.7%) compared with those with more than secondary education (40.6%); and by FSWs from the high class (43.6% vs. 15.2%, P=0.51) and amongst those who had fewer years of work experience in SW (54.2 vs. 25.6%, P=0.03). Physical violence was significantly more experienced among older FSWs (55.0%) than their younger counterparts (32.9%) (P=0.002). Older respondents who had 10 years or more experience in SW were 1.9 more vulnerable than younger respondents with less than 10 years to economic violence (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.01-3.52). Interventions to end violence to FSWs and to discourage SW are needed.

Background : This paper examines the association between sexual violence and health outcomes among young married women in rural Nepal.

Methods: The data are from a cross-sectional survey conducted with 1,296 married women aged 15 -24 years in rural Nepal in 2009-10. We used regression models adjusted for selected socioeconomic and demographics to estimate the odds ratios for the associations between sexual violence and health-related conditions and behaviors.

Results: About half of women (46%) had reported ever experience of sexual violence and 31% had experienced SV in the past 12 months. SV was associated with reported lifetime experience of unwanted pregnancy (adjusted OR 4.32), suicidal ideation/attempted suicide (OR 4.42), self-reported feeling of fear/tension (OR 3.76), depression (OR 2.68) and experiences of signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted infections (OR 2.92).

Conclusion: Our results show that sexual violence within marriage is common among women even in early years of marriage in rural Nepal. The study suggests a strong association between sexual violence and negative health consequences. Therefore, there is a need to recognize the pervasiveness of sexual violence within marriage, as well as, the negative health consequences that results from it and develop a comprehensive response at many levels.

Exposure and experience of domestic violence has negative consequences on children’s and youth’s social, emotional, mental and academic development. Most of the youth get violence exposure either as witness or as victim at home, a setting where primary socialization take place. Thus, by examining the association between youth’s mental health and violence at home using the data from the survey “Youth in India-Situation and Need-2006-07”, this study reveal that exposure of violence contributes to increased risk to suffer from mental health problem. Findings indicate the influence of domestic violence exposure and experience on mental health symptoms like unhappiness, depression, losing confidence and feeling of under strain.
Results imply high prevalence of domestic violence and adverse mental health among Indian youth. Though, several laws and policies have been set in motion to prevent the domestic violence but challenges remain same in some domains such as youth physical, mental health and overall development.

This paper asks to what extent that the exposure to mothers’ experience of intimate violence at young age affects women’s own intimate violence in the context of Thailand where the topic of gender-based violence remains understudied. We specifically explore how attitudes towards intimate violence can explain or mediate the relationship between the childhood’s exposure and women’s own intimate violence. Data from a survey of Intimate Partner Violence and Women’s Health in Thailand conducted in 2000 were used. A total of 2,818 women were included in the analysis. Findings show that mother’s IPV has a direct impact on women’s experiencing IPV and the effects are not mediated by women’s attitudes towards violence. Childhood exposure to parents’ IPV is consequential on women’s later life. Intimate partner violence is intergenerational transmission. Reducing level of violence against women, thus, will not only benefit current generation, but also later generations.

Martha B. Melo
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Argentine
School of Public Health

Abstract

Emotional and physical abuses suffered in childhood have been conceptualized as an important predictor of adolescent sexual behavior.
When young people grow with violent family interactions, the onset of sexual life is conditioned by insecurity, low self-esteem and a strong interdependence with the partner
Objective: This study gives a contribution in the understanding of causal relation between violence in childhood and risk sexual behavior among adolescents in Argentine
We analyze the impact of violence in relation with some outcome variables: premature sexual initiation, sexual promiscuity, use of contraceptive methods and the risk to be diagnosed with sexual transmitted diseases.
Similarly we analyze gender differences, socioeconomic status, and educational level
We study adolescent sexual behavior considering 5 outcomes variables: age of sexual debut, sexual promiscuity, use of birth control methods, use of condom, and the number of diagnosed sexually transmitted diseases in the last year.
Just we completed the quantitative study with a qualitative study
We conclude that violence in childhood does not predict in a univocal way the sexual behaviors in adolescence

Family as an institution in the ancient India laid down certain principles,
which regulate the relationship between husband, wife and their children in anuclear family. The domestic violence causes a breach especially in thehusband and wife relationship due to many reasons. The inmates, especially
the children who are innocent in nature are greatly affected as they are in the
formative & or developing stage of the life. Children who witness violence at
home display emotional & behavioral disturbances as diverse as withdrawal,
low self-esteem, nightmares and aggression against peers & family members.Those who have witnessed their parents’ domestic violence are more likely to abuse their own wives than children of non-violent parents. The sons of the most violent parents are 1000 times more likely to become wife beaters. Adolescents, who have been exposed domestic violence, get so entrenched that they find it difficult to engage themselves in more positive ways of social interaction. It has been found that the level of inter parental conflict, parentaldomestic and gender of the adolescent were predictive of severe adolescent
problems. Conflict between parents in combination with a dominant opposite sex parent was significantly predictive of major adolescent psychopathology. In the light of above an attempt has been

This study focuses on the situation of abuse that men experienced during childhood and provides the opportunity to better understand the consequences of that abuse. The information is based on the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES). Data presented come from selected locations in: Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Mexico, India and Rwanda.

Men’s reports of experiencing violence during childhood are very common in all study locations.

Parents’ educational attainment, fathers’ participation in domestic duties or childcare, and equitable decision-making in the childhood home can all reduce the likelihood of violence.

Childhood experiences of violence are associated with later adoption of inequitable gender attitudes around decision-making, violence against women and notions of masculinity.

The most consistent influence on ever having perpetrated IPV is having witnessed one’s mother being hit by her male partner.

Childhood experiences of violence can also increase men’s likelihood to resort to violent means of conflict resolution in adulthood and can significantly influence how adult men interact with their partners and children beyond the domain of violence.

Violence against children has significant and noteworthy repercussions on the mental health of men as adults.

This study analyses a cross sectional data on married women (15-29 Years) to examine their perception on sexual rights, gender roles and its association with experience of sexual & physical violence and sexual health problems. 80% women reported experiencing coercive sex by husband ever in their life time. Of this 55% (p<0.05) reported coercive sex during last 12 months; 49% (p<0.05) reported physical violence and 71% (p<0.05) reported mental violence from their husband. Among the women who experience sexual violence (ever), 44% had at least one STD symptoms during the last 6 months compared to 27% who did not experience (p<0.05) and 59% (p<0.05) of women reported problems during menses. The odds ratio shows that women’s perception that ‘If a woman is married then she should be ready for sex with her husband whenever he demands’ is the most significant predictor of coercive sex followed by inter spousal communication.

In the first decade of the twenty first century the Mexican life expectancy changed from a long trend of increase to stagnation. These changes concur with an increase in deaths by homicides that the country experienced in that decade. There are 138,461 official reported deaths by homicide in the period of 2000 to 2010. However, the time trend shows an increase in the counts of homicides in the later years from an annual number of 10,000 to 25,000 deaths in 2010. We quantify the impact of these changes in homicides and other causes of death in life expectancy. Male life expectancy remained around the value of 72 years from 2000 to 2010. However, the apparent stagnation in life expectancy is resultant of increase in homicides and diabetes deaths on one hand, and the positive improvements observed in other causes of death on the other. The negative impact of homicides is particularly observed at ages 15 and 50, and diabetes for ages 45 and more, and they account for almost an entire year of the male life expectancy. Mexican males would have observed a 2 years increase in life expectancy if homicides and diabetes deaths had been avoided.

Youth perspectives on Quality of life issues
in some MENA cities
Dr. Osman Nour, Population Expert and Consultant of MENA Child & Youth Initiative(CYI). Arab Urban Dev. Institute.
The most evident and challenging aspect of MENA region’s demographic profile is its youth bulge, young people are the fastest growing segment of the population(60% are under age 25 years).
Despite some improvement in the quality of life in some MENA countries, according to the 2009 Arab Human Development Report, there are still many people, especially children and youth living insecure lives, and others are living under persistent pressures that inhibit them from realizing their potentials. Many young people in the MENA cities are unemployed and facing other problems such as health, school drop-outs, marginalization and limited community participation in public issues that absolutely deter them from realizing their potentials. This situation has result in the Arab spring
The main objective of the present study is to examine how youth in the MENA cities perceive the threats of unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, violence, drug abuse and crime, and how these unhealthy behaviors impact on youth sense of wellbeing and safety.
The present study will use the findings of the Rapid Community Appraisal surveys (RCA) conducted in three MENA cities