Rachel Kidman1. 1. Core Faculty, Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Level 3, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA. E-mail: rachel.kidman@stonybrook.edu.
Abstract
Background: : Studies in South Asia suggest that child marriage is a strong risk factor for intimate partner violence (IPV), but evidence outside the region is lacking. Methods: : This study uses standardized data from demographic and health surveys in 34 countries to test the hypothesis that young women (age 20-24) who married as children are at increased risk of past year physical and/or sexual IPV as compared with those women who married as adults. Results: : Globally, 9% of respondents were married before they turned 15; another 25% were married between the ages of 15 and 17. Past year physical and/or sexual IPV was higher among women who married as children (29%) compared with those who married as adults (20%). This difference persisted in logistic regression models that adjust for sociodemographic characteristics [odds ratio (OR) 1.41 (1.30-1.52) for marriage before 15, and 1.42 (1.35-1.50) for marriage at 15-17]. However, there was considerable heterogeneity between countries: marriage before age 15 was associated with a combined measure of past year physical and/or sexual IPV in nine countries; women married between 15 and 17 were at increased risk of physical and/or sexual IPV in 19 countries. This heterogeneity was most evident in sub-Saharan Africa, and warrants further investigation in so far as it may help identify protective policies and norms. Conclusion: : Substantial reductions in IPV will likely require interventions to combat child marriage itself and to protect women from IPV within child marriages.
Background: : Studies in South Asia suggest that child marriage is a strong risk factor for intimate partner violence (IPV), but evidence outside the region is lacking. Methods: : This study uses standardized data from demographic and health surveys in 34 countries to test the hypothesis that young women (age 20-24) who married as children are at increased risk of past year physical and/or sexual IPV as compared with those women who married as adults. Results: : Globally, 9% of respondents were married before they turned 15; another 25% were married between the ages of 15 and 17. Past year physical and/or sexual IPV was higher among women who married as children (29%) compared with those who married as adults (20%). This difference persisted in logistic regression models that adjust for sociodemographic characteristics [odds ratio (OR) 1.41 (1.30-1.52) for marriage before 15, and 1.42 (1.35-1.50) for marriage at 15-17]. However, there was considerable heterogeneity between countries: marriage before age 15 was associated with a combined measure of past year physical and/or sexual IPV in nine countries; women married between 15 and 17 were at increased risk of physical and/or sexual IPV in 19 countries. This heterogeneity was most evident in sub-Saharan Africa, and warrants further investigation in so far as it may help identify protective policies and norms. Conclusion: : Substantial reductions in IPV will likely require interventions to combat child marriage itself and to protect women from IPV within child marriages.
Authors: Linda-Gail Bekker; George Alleyne; Stefan Baral; Javier Cepeda; Demetre Daskalakis; David Dowdy; Mark Dybul; Serge Eholie; Kene Esom; Geoff Garnett; Anna Grimsrud; James Hakim; Diane Havlir; Michael T Isbell; Leigh Johnson; Adeeba Kamarulzaman; Parastu Kasaie; Michel Kazatchkine; Nduku Kilonzo; Michael Klag; Marina Klein; Sharon R Lewin; Chewe Luo; Keletso Makofane; Natasha K Martin; Kenneth Mayer; Gregorio Millett; Ntobeko Ntusi; Loyce Pace; Carey Pike; Peter Piot; Anton Pozniak; Thomas C Quinn; Jurgen Rockstroh; Jirair Ratevosian; Owen Ryan; Serra Sippel; Bruno Spire; Agnes Soucat; Ann Starrs; Steffanie A Strathdee; Nicholas Thomson; Stefano Vella; Mauro Schechter; Peter Vickerman; Brian Weir; Chris Beyrer Journal: Lancet Date: 2018-07-20 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Benjamin T Crookston; Josh H West; Siena F Davis; P Cougar Hall; Greg Seymour; Bobbi L Gray Journal: BMC Womens Health Date: 2021-06-03 Impact factor: 2.809