The Intersection of Violence Against Women and Violence Against Children in Uganda: Implications for Global Violence Prevention and Response Programming

Background and Purpose: Intimate partner violence against women (IPV) and violence against children (VAC) frequently co-occur in the same families.  Despite this lived reality for many women and children, global violence research, programming, and policy for women and children have largely operated in silos.  This presentation will provide an overview of a recent study on the intersection of IPV and VAC in Ugandan families, conducted in partnership with a Uganda-based NGO, Raising Voices. 

Methods: The study used qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the intersections of violence against women and violence against children in Ugandan families.  The quantitative study used a probability sample of 525 caregiver-child dyads to evaluate the overlap of IPV and VAC.  A multinomial regression with the same sample of dyads was used to determine common contributing factors for dyads that reported IPV ‘only’, VAC ‘only’, both IPV and VAC, compared to no VAC or IPV. The qualitative component included in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with a total of 106 mothers, fathers, girls, and boys in Kampala, Uganda. 

Findings: Results from the quantitative study reveal significant overlap in experiences of IPV and VAC, with one third of dyads reporting both types of violence. The multinomial regression suggested several common contributing factors for dyads which report both VAC and IPV, such as alcohol use (among male caregivers) and caregivers (female and male) who report less emotional attachment to their intimate partner.   Participant experiences from in-depth interviews and focus groups revealed four patterns through which IPV and VAC not only co-occur, but more profoundly intersect within families: bystander trauma, negative role modeling, protection and further victimization, and displaced aggression.  These patterns are underpinned by patriarchy and power dynamics within the family which create an environment that normalizes many forms of violence. 

Conclusions and Implications: Research and programming implications will be discussed on the potential integration of IPV and VAC prevention and response in global settings, such as approaches to jointly foster positive relationships between family members and deepen coordination between the fields of IPV and VAC.