A study of 35,439 young people across nine African countries reveals that long-term exposure to political violence significantly increases risks of emotional, physical, and sexual violence in later life.

The research, linking national surveys with conflict data, shows that communities with 15+ years of political unrest see higher rates of interpersonal violence.Key findings include 16.9% increased sexual violence risk in poor households, 5.5% rise in emotional abuse from family, and 3.0% surge in intimate partner violence.The study identifies five drivers: culture of insecurity, social learning, shifting norms, economic hardship, and broken systems.

Recommendations stress holistic child protection strategies beyond emergency aid, emphasizing mental health support and systemic reforms to address legacy violence impacts.The findings highlight the need for long-term solutions to prevent violence across families, schools, and communities.