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New Young Lives paper explores children’s experiences of violence

A new paper by Young Lives Research Associates Kirrily Pells and Ginny Morrow draws on 15 years of research to explore children’s experiences of violence in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam.

The new publication is a background paper for one of the most comprehensive analyses of childhood violence ever undertaken, 'Ending Violence in Childhood', the flagship publication of the Know Violence in Childhood initiative, which was released at the end of September.

The new Young Lives paper, ‘Children’s Experiences of Violence: Evidence from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam’ finds that:

  • Violence in the lives of many children is pervasive, often routinized and normalized
  • Children experience multiple forms of violence across different settings
  • The types of violence experienced vary by age and gender, and gender norms may preclude children from seeking support when they become affected by violence
  • Poverty is a driver of violence affecting children.

Reflecting on the findings, Dr Pells said:

‘Violence affecting children is often hidden, ignored or seen as intractable. Simplistic explanations are often put forward which ignore structural inequalities of resources and of power which underpin such violence. The Know Violence report tackles both of these seminal problems and offers a critical opportunity to galvanize collective efforts and to inform more comprehensive and effective strategies for violence prevention’.

Much of Young Lives research into violence affecting children to date has been undertaken in collaboration with UNICEF’s Office of Research. Detailed findings are available on the website of the multi-country study, ‘Drivers of Violence Affecting Children’ as well as on the Young Lives website. Young Lives is also engaged in on-going research on violence affecting children in Ethiopia, funded by the Oak Foundation

Watch a screencast of the key findings here.