Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda

Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification have been extensively studied in non-humanitarian settings, and among older populations. However, there is a gap in understanding these associations within humanit...

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Main Authors: Peter Kisaakye, Stella Muthuri, George Odwe, Caroline Kabiru, Dagim Habteyesus, Yadeta Dessie, Yohannes Wado, Bonnie Wandera, Gloria Seruwagi, Francis Obare, Chi-Chi Undie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Global Public Health
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2025.2531914
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author Peter Kisaakye
Stella Muthuri
George Odwe
Caroline Kabiru
Dagim Habteyesus
Yadeta Dessie
Yohannes Wado
Bonnie Wandera
Gloria Seruwagi
Francis Obare
Chi-Chi Undie
author_facet Peter Kisaakye
Stella Muthuri
George Odwe
Caroline Kabiru
Dagim Habteyesus
Yadeta Dessie
Yohannes Wado
Bonnie Wandera
Gloria Seruwagi
Francis Obare
Chi-Chi Undie
author_sort Peter Kisaakye
collection DOAJ
description Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification have been extensively studied in non-humanitarian settings, and among older populations. However, there is a gap in understanding these associations within humanitarian contexts, particularly from the perspective of children and youth. We used data from the Uganda Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, a representative, cross-sectional household survey of 2,265 children and youth aged 13–24 years living in refugee settlements in Uganda. We explored associations between endorsement of inequitable gender norms, intimate partner violence (IPV) justification, and experiences of violence and/or perpetration of violence in childhood. Experience of any childhood violence was significantly associated with an increase in endorsement of inequitable gender norms among females and IPV justification among males. This pattern was similar for 18-24-year-olds. Among 13-17-year-olds, IPV justification was significantly associated with experience of any childhood violence among females and perpetration of violence among males. Our findings suggest the need for gender-transformative violence prevention interventions that start early in the life course, and that address inequitable gender socialisation and power relations. School-based violence prevention interventions, community-based approaches to form gender equitable attitudes among adolescents, parenting interventions, and interventions with children and adolescents that had experienced childhood violence have shown considerable success in other settings, and could be adapted to humanitarian settlements.
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spelling doaj-art-e7bf8688617a4de4959baad298ddc4b52025-08-20T03:51:55ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Public Health1744-16921744-17062025-12-0120110.1080/17441692.2025.2531914Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in UgandaPeter Kisaakye0Stella Muthuri1George Odwe2Caroline Kabiru3Dagim Habteyesus4Yadeta Dessie5Yohannes Wado6Bonnie Wandera7Gloria Seruwagi8Francis Obare9Chi-Chi Undie10Population Council, Nairobi, KenyaPopulation Council, Nairobi, KenyaPopulation Council, Nairobi, KenyaAfrican Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), APHRC Headquarters, Kitisuru, Nairobi, KenyaPopulation Council, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaAfrican Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), APHRC Headquarters, Kitisuru, Nairobi, KenyaAfrican Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), APHRC Headquarters, Kitisuru, Nairobi, KenyaPopulation Council, Nairobi, KenyaPopulation Council, Nairobi, KenyaPopulation Council, Nairobi, KenyaExperiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification have been extensively studied in non-humanitarian settings, and among older populations. However, there is a gap in understanding these associations within humanitarian contexts, particularly from the perspective of children and youth. We used data from the Uganda Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, a representative, cross-sectional household survey of 2,265 children and youth aged 13–24 years living in refugee settlements in Uganda. We explored associations between endorsement of inequitable gender norms, intimate partner violence (IPV) justification, and experiences of violence and/or perpetration of violence in childhood. Experience of any childhood violence was significantly associated with an increase in endorsement of inequitable gender norms among females and IPV justification among males. This pattern was similar for 18-24-year-olds. Among 13-17-year-olds, IPV justification was significantly associated with experience of any childhood violence among females and perpetration of violence among males. Our findings suggest the need for gender-transformative violence prevention interventions that start early in the life course, and that address inequitable gender socialisation and power relations. School-based violence prevention interventions, community-based approaches to form gender equitable attitudes among adolescents, parenting interventions, and interventions with children and adolescents that had experienced childhood violence have shown considerable success in other settings, and could be adapted to humanitarian settlements.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2025.2531914Inequitable gender normsjustification or perpetration of violencechildren and youthhumanitarian settingsUgandaGood health and well-being, Gender equality
spellingShingle Peter Kisaakye
Stella Muthuri
George Odwe
Caroline Kabiru
Dagim Habteyesus
Yadeta Dessie
Yohannes Wado
Bonnie Wandera
Gloria Seruwagi
Francis Obare
Chi-Chi Undie
Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda
Global Public Health
Inequitable gender norms
justification or perpetration of violence
children and youth
humanitarian settings
Uganda
Good health and well-being, Gender equality
title Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda
title_full Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda
title_fullStr Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda
title_short Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda
title_sort experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in uganda
topic Inequitable gender norms
justification or perpetration of violence
children and youth
humanitarian settings
Uganda
Good health and well-being, Gender equality
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17441692.2025.2531914
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