Prevalence of violence in childhood and adolescence and the impact on educational outcomes: evidence from the 2013 Peruvian national survey on social relations

Abstract

Background: This study provides, for the first time, national population-based estimates describing violence during childhood and adolescence in Peru and the impact on educational outcomes.

Methods: A population-based school survey was conducted among children aged 9-11 (n=1587) and adolescents aged 12-17 (n=1489). The relationship between violence and educational outcomes were analysed using bivariate logistic regressions, controlling for potential confounding factors.

Results: The results show that psychological (78.1%) and physical violence (72.5%) at home were the most prevalent forms of violence experienced by adolescent girls. Adolescent boys reported experiencing similar levels of psychological violence from their peers (69.4%) and at home (68.1%). For the younger cohort, peer-to-peer psychological violence was reported more frequently among girls (70.6%) and boys (74.0%) than other forms of violence. Equal percentages of adolescent girls and boys reported experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime (44.3%). The relationship between violence experiences and educational outcomes varied by gender with strong associations between violence at home and failing a course or repeating a grade for girls and being expelled for boys. Sexual violence experienced by boys was associated with all negative educational outcomes.

Conclusions: The relationship between violence in childhood and poorer educational outcomes is multi-faceted, potentially bi-directional, and manifests differently between genders. This research highlights the need for targeted research, policy and programming responses for prevention of violence.

Keywords: Educational outcomes; Peru; Prevalence; Schools; Violence against children.