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Cited by 146Intimate Partner and Family ViolenceGender, Security, and ConflictHealth and Conflict Studies

Prevalence and associated risk factors of violence against conflict–affected female adolescents: a multi–country, cross–sectional study

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Stark, Lindsay, Asghar, Khudejha, Yu, Gary, Bora, Caroline, Baysa, Asham Assazenew, Falb, Kathryn L·2017·Journal of Global Health
DOI 10.7189/jogh.07.010416PMC PMC5460397
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Over half of displaced civilians in humanitarian emergencies are children, and these settings pose unique threats to children's safety with long-lasting consequences. Our study broadens the limited evidence on violence against adolescent girls in emergencies by estimating prevalence and predictors of violence among adolescent girls aged 13-14 in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and aged 13-19 in refugee camps in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia. METHODS: Survey data were collected from a sample of 1296 adolescent girls using Computer-Assisted Personal Interview and Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview programming. Predictors of violence were modeled using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The majority of adolescent girls (51.62%) reported experiencing at least one form of violence victimization in the previous 12 months: 31.78% reported being hit or beaten, 36.79% reported being screamed at loudly or aggressively, and 26.67% experienced unwanted sexual touching, forced sex, and/or sexual coercion. Across both countries, ever having a boyfriend and living with an intimate partner were strong predictors of violence. Fewer years of education completed in DRC, and young age in Ethiopia, were also associated with reported victimization. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of violence against adolescent girls is high in these two conflict-affected contexts. Findings indicate a need for programs targeting younger populations, broader efforts to address different forms of victimization, and increased recognition of intimate partners and caregivers as perpetrators of violence in conflict-affected settings.

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  • There is insufficient research explicitly examining experiences of water insecurity-related SGBV among refugee adolescents and youth.

    “There is insuf fi cient research explicitly examining experiences of water insecurity-related SGBV among refugee adolescents and youth who may experience water scarcity (Calderón-Villarreal et al . 2022) and a high prevalence of SGBV before, during, and following con fl ict-related migration (Stark et al. 2017; Logie et al . 2019a).”

    From Water insecurity and sexual and gender-based violence among refugee youth: qualitative insights from a humanitarian setting in Uganda (2022) · cites this paper as Stark et al. 2017

    Stark et al. is cited for the sentence’s claim about SGBV prevalence, not its opening claim about a water-insecurity research gap. The Results report sexual violence among conflict-affected adolescent girls in the DRC and Ethiopian refugee camps, but do not establish prevalence separately before, during, and after migration. The paper also studies adolescent girls rather than refugee youth generally. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Stark, L., Asghar, K., Yu, G., Bora, C., Baysa, A. A., & Falb, K. L.
Affiliations
  • Columbia University (US)
  • New York University (US)
  • International Rescue Committee (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Global Health
Publisher
International Society of Global Health
Published
2017-05-30
Volume
7
Issue
1
Pages
010416-010416
ISSN
  • 2047-2978 (ISSN-L)
  • 2047-2986
DOI
10.7189/jogh.07.010416
PMC
PMC5460397
OpenAlex
W2621212464
Cited by
146
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 60 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 3
FWCI
24.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Journal of Global Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Security, and Conflict
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health and Conflict Studies
Keywords
adolescent girls, conflict-affected settings, humanitarian crisis, refugee camps, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, physical violence, risk factors, prevalence, South Kivu, Benishangul-Gumuz, forced sex
MeSH terms
Armed Conflicts, Adolescent, Cross-Sectional Studies, Ethiopia, Female, Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires, Refugees, Risk Factors, Violence, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Prevalence, Young Adult

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