Afghan Women’s Use of Violence against Their Children and Associations with IPV, Adverse Childhood Experiences and Poverty: A Cross-Sectional and Structural Equation Modelling Analysis

Jane Ndungu, Rachel Jewkes, Magnolia Ngcobo-Sithole, Esnat Chirwa and Andrew Gibbs
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Jane Ndungu: Office of Engagement and Transformation, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6001, South Africa
Rachel Jewkes: Office of the Executive Scientist, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Magnolia Ngcobo-Sithole: Department of Psychology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6001, South Africa
Esnat Chirwa: Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Andrew Gibbs: Gender and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: Children who experience violence from a parent are more likely to experience and perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV) later in life. Drawing on cross-sectional data among married women enrolled in the baseline of a randomized control trial in Afghanistan, we assess risk factors for women’s use of violence against their children, focused on women’s own adverse childhood experiences and experiences of IPV, poverty, poor mental health and gender attitudes. Analysis uses logistic regression and structural equation modelling (SEM). In total 744 married women reported on their use of violence against a child, with 71.8% ( n = 534) reporting this in the past month. In regression models, their own experiences of witnessing their mother being physically abused, poverty during childhood, current food insecurity, their husband using corporal punishment on their child, current IPV experience, and other violence in the home were all associated with increased likelihood of women reporting corporal punishment. In the SEM, three pathways emerged linking women’s childhood trauma and poverty to use of corporal punishment. One pathway was mediated by poor mental health, a second was mediated by wider use of violence in the home and a third from food insecurity mediated by having more gender inequitable attitudes. Addressing the culture of violence in the home is critical to reducing violence against children, as well as enabling treatment of parental mental health problems and generally addressing gender equity.

Keywords: Afghan; conflict contexts; corporal punishment; IPV; violence against children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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