Intergenerational Transmission of Violence in Cebu, Philippines

Mahua Mandal, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

This study investigates the effects of witnessing interparental violence among Filipino youth on their own use and experience of violence with family members. The authors use data from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey. Perpetration and victimization of family violence in the previous 12 months among 21-22 year old youth was assessed through 2005 self-reports. Witnessing interparental violence was assessed through 2002 reports. Prevalence of family violence perpetration (without victimization) was 22.8% for females and 8.5% for males. Prevalence of victimization (without perpetration) was 5.6% for females and 4.2% for males. Bi-directional family violence was 27.6% for females and 24.1% for males. 43.6% of females and 46.5% of males had witnessed their parents physically hurt one another during childhood. Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that witnessing interparental violence significantly predicted youths’ reports of family violence perpetration and victimization among both females and males. Implications for further research are discussed.