Risk and protective factors for physical and sexual abuse of children and adolescents in Africa – A review and implications for practice

Journal article

There is now conclusive evidence of the major and long-lasting negative effects of physical and sexual abuse on children. Within Africa, studies consistently report high rates of child abuse; with prevalence as high as 64%. However, to date there has been no review of factors associated with physical and sexual child abuse and polyvictimization in Africa. This review identified 22 quantitative studies, all of which showed high levels of child abuse in varying samples of children and adults. Although studies were very heterogeneous, a range of correlates of abuse at different levels of the Model of Ecologic Development were identified. These included community-level factors (exposure to bullying, sexual violence and rural/urban location), household-level factors (poverty, household violence, non-nuclear family), caregiver-level factors (caregiver illness in particular AIDS and mental health problems, caregiver changes, family functioning, parenting, caregiver child relationship, substance abuse) and child-level factors (age, disability, physical health, behaviour, gender). These findings identify key associated factors that are potential foci of child abuse prevention interventions. In addition, there is a clear need for further rigorous longitudinal research into predictive factors and culturally relevant interventions

Authors: Meinck, F; Cluver, L; Boyes, M; Mhlongo, E

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Journal: Trauma, Violence & Abuse
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 81-107
• Publication date: 2014-03-18
• Acceptance date: 2013-10-16
• DOI: 10.1177/1524838014523336
• EISSN: 1552-8324
• ISSN: 1524-8380
• Language: English
• Keywords: physical abuse; child abuse; cultural contexts; sexual abuse