Violence against women and children is deeply connected: 3 ways to break the patterns
Violence against women and children often stems from the same roots: power imbalances, harmful gender norms, and cycles of trauma passed through generations. When one form of abuse is present, the other often follows closely behind.
Following research by Phiwe Babalo Nota, a researcher at the Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town, and Wiedaad Slemming, who is the director of the Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town, the duo analyzed how intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence against women, and it is pervasive.
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In a report, according to the National Gender-Based Violence Prevalence Study in South Africa, 24% of women aged 18 and older have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner or spouse.
Whereas pregnancy can trigger or worsen violence in relationships, they highlight how it is often due to changes in power dynamics, financial stress, or a partner’s perceived loss of control.
“… 20% of women had experienced at least one form of physical, sexual, or psychological intimate partner violence during pregnancy. Another study in Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic capital, found 36.6% of young women reported violence by a partner or spouse, and pregnancy was cited as a key risk period for violence,” they explained.
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The duo have also explained how the society ought to shift the focus from awareness raising to action-oriented thinking that can break the cycle of violence in a reflection from our chapter in the Child Gauge, which was co-written with Aislinn Delany, an independent social researcher.
They highlight at least three approaches that can guide efforts to prevent violence against women and children, which include starting early, working across sectors, with the Department of Health playing a critical role, and transforming harmful gender norms.
Breaking the cycle of violence
Research indicates that the first 1,000 days (from conception to 2 years old) are a critical development phase that shapes a child’s future health, learning, and well-being.
“Exposure to ongoing violence is especially damaging during the early years. Excessive physical and psychological stress or trauma, also known as toxic stress, can disrupt the development of the brain. This may result in lifelong consequences for children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development,” they explained.
Studies have also shown that children exposed to violence in the home are more likely to normalize violence as a method of conflict resolution.
Hence, this keeps the cycle of violence going from one generation to the next. It puts boys at a higher risk of being violent toward their partners as men. It makes girls more vulnerable to victimization by intimate partners later in life.
Preventing violence against women and children should therefore begin early and continue. Early action can address the root causes and risk factors, interrupting the cycle within an individual’s lifetime and across generations.
The health sector’s role
Violence against women and children is a complex and deeply rooted problem, as it requires a coordinated response from a range of sectors, including health, education, justice, and social services.
Within this ecosystem of support, maternal and child health services offer one of the most frequent points of contact with pregnant women, young children, and their families. These routine contacts provide opportunities to identify women and children at risk and connect families with support services.
It is therefore essential to strengthen the focus on violence prevention during the first 1,000 days through the direct actions of health workers or by using health facilities as platforms for delivery.
“For example, training health workers not only to screen for substance use, mental health concerns, and exposure to violence, but also to provide care that recognizes how violence and adversity affect health and behavior,” they added.
Early opportunities to challenge harmful gender norms
Research further shows that violence is a learned behavior, shaped by social norms. Where violence is accepted or justified as a way of resolving conflict, it becomes part of everyday life; hence, transforming harmful norms is essential to building safer homes and communities.
On the other hand, evidence also suggests that men’s involvement during pregnancy and early childhood can strengthen family relationships and improve maternal and child well-being.
This comes after research in Soweto, South Africa, found that when fathers attended pregnancy ultrasound scans, they reported stronger emotional bonds with their partners. And they felt a greater sense of responsibility and care for their unborn child.
Similarly, another analysis found that postnatal father involvement was associated with lower rates of maternal depression. These findings underscore the importance of designing gender-transformative interventions.
Practically, this may mean creating family-friendly health environments with flexible clinic hours and programs that prepare men and families for nurturing and responsive care.
