Sexual victimisation and peer victimisation are pervasive and increase risk for mental illness.
Longitudinal studies that compare their unique and cumulative effects are scarce and have been done predominantly in high-income countries. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence, prospective associations, and gender differences in sexual and peer victimisation and mental health in a low-income, African setting. To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify representative rates of adolescent sexual and peer victimisation in Burkina Faso and is the first longitudinal study of unique and cumulative associations with mental health outcomes in an LMIC. Sexual and peer victimisation are highly prevalent in this deprived setting, and sexual victimisation is associated with a range of mental health problems, especially among girls. Although vulnerability to sexual and peer victimisation differed by gender, all adolescents need protection from violence. Our study provides novel and important findings for future policy and service planning in rural Africa and offers new insights for youth violence prevention researchers worldwide.
Lee, K. S., Wolke, D., Bärnighausen, T., Ouermi, L., Bountogo, M., & Harling, G. (2024). Sexual victimisation, peer victimisation, and mental health outcomes among adolescents in Burkina Faso: a prospective cohort study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 11(2), 134–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00399-1