What explains childhood violence? Micro correlates from Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys

Violence in childhood is a serious health, social, and human rights concern globally, there is, however, little understanding about the factors that explain the various forms of violence in childhood.

This paper uses data on childhood violence for 10,042 individuals from four countries (Cambodia, Kenya, Swaziland, Tanzania). There is no gender difference in the overall incidence of childhood violence. The data shows that 78% of girls and 79% of boys have suffered some form of violence before the age of 18 years. Most perpetrators of violence against children – physical, emotional and sexual – are people known to them in their homes and community, and not strangers. There is limited understanding of the factors that explain violence in childhood.