The Intersection of Partner Violence and Adverse Childhood Experiences: Implications for Research and Clinical Practice

Abstract

Violence against women continues to be a serious public health issue afflicting women worldwide. The intersection of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and intimate partner violence is detrimental to a woman's well-being. This review aims to identify the types of ACEs reported by women who also report partner violence and the subsequent negative impact of this combination of experiences on the women's health. The evidence supports the cumulative effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on women, particularly when coupled with experiences of intimate partner violence. Early interventions by providers have the potential to mitigate negative health outcomes of abused women and interrupt the intergenerational transmission of violence to their children.

Bridging the gaps: a global review of intersections of violence against women and violence against children

“…child maltreatment, exposure to partner violence against the mother, bullying, or dating violence) raises the risk of trauma and other negative health and social outcomes compared with experiencing just one form ( 109 ). Similarly, women who experience partner violence may be at heightened risk of negative mental and physical health outcomes if they have a history of childhood violence ( 110 , 111 ).…”

Adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence during pregnancy and their association to postpartum depression

“…As numerous studies highlight (Stith et al, 2000;Gelaye et al, 2010;Montalvo-Liendo et al, 2015;Trickett et al, 2011), one of consequences of adverse childhood experiences is to tolerate adulthood violence. The link between adverse childhood experiences and IPV during pregnancy was reported to be three fold in a study done among Peruvian women (Barrios et al, 2015).…”

Preventing Peer Violence Against Children: Methods and Baseline Data of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in Pakistan

“…Evidence confirms violence against children transfers to poor health and increased mortality in adulthood as well as use of violence against women 3 , 4 . If girls are sexually abused in childhood, the risk for intimate partner violence doubles, 29 and women abused during pregnancy are at high risk for pregnancy complications, fetal demise, and low birthweight offspring 30 . The intergenerational impact of abuse escalates from violence against children to traumatized mothers to dysfunctional offspring 31 , 32 …”