Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Adolescent Males in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Globally

Sarah M Peitzmeier; Anna Kågesten; Rajib Acharya; Yan Cheng; Sinead Delany-Moretlwe; Adesola Olumide; Robert Wm Blum; Freya Sonenstein; Michele R Decker

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.07.019

Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Adolescent Males in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Globally

J Adolesc Health. 2016 Dec;59(6):696-702. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.07.019. Epub 2016 Sep 21.

Authors

Sarah M Peitzmeier¹, Anna Kågesten¹, Rajib Acharya², Yan Cheng³, Sinead Delany-Moretlwe⁴, Adesola Olumide⁵, Robert Wm Blum¹, Freya Sonenstein¹, Michele R Decker⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
² Population Council, New Delhi, Delhi, India.
³ Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁵ Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
⁶ Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: mdecker@jhu.edu.

PMID: 27665152
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.07.019

Abstract

Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects one in three women globally, with adolescent and young adult women at highest risk. Less is known about IPV perpetration. We compare the prevalence and correlates of IPV perpetration among 15- to 19-year-old adolescent males in Baltimore (United States), Johannesburg (South Africa), Delhi (India), and Shanghai (China).

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2013 with males aged 15-19 recruited via respondent-driven sampling from disadvantaged neighborhoods in four cities: Baltimore (United States), New Delhi (India), Johannesburg (South Africa), and Shanghai (China); total n = 751 ever-partnered men. We describe the prevalence of past-year physical and sexual IPV perpetration and evaluate associations with gender norm attitudes, mental health, substance use, victimization experiences, and demographic factors.

Results: Past-year physical or sexual IPV perpetration ranged from 9% in Shanghai to 40% in Johannesburg. Factors associated with past-year perpetration across multiple sites included: binge drinking (Johannesburg adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.8, Baltimore AOR = 6.7, and Shanghai AOR = 3.2), depressive symptoms (Johannesburg AOR = 2.4 and Shanghai AOR = 2.2), victimization in the home (Baltimore AOR = 2.5, Shanghai AOR = 2.7, and Johannesburg AOR = 1.7), and community violence victimization (Baltimore AOR = 7.0, Delhi AOR = 4.1, and Johannesburg AOR = 2.8). Equitable gender norm attitudes were protective against IPV perpetration in Johannesburg and Shanghai. Demographic factors (e.g., age, employment, and education) were inconsistently associated with IPV perpetration across sites.

Conclusions: Past-year IPV perpetration was prevalent with differences identified across settings. Findings suggest the need to scale up evidence-based interventions targeting adolescents in disadvantaged urban communities in order to address many modifiable factors associated with IPV perpetration in this study.

Keywords: Adolescents; Cross-cultural; Intimate partner violence; Perpetration; Urban.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior*
China
Crime Victims / psychology*
Depression / psychology
Humans
India
Intimate Partner Violence / prevention & control
Intimate Partner Violence / statistics & numerical data*
Male
Residence Characteristics / statistics & numerical data*
Risk Factors
Sex Offenses / prevention & control
Sex Offenses / statistics & numerical data*
South Africa
United States
Vulnerable Populations / psychology*
Young Adult