title: Preventing sexual violence and HIV in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence linking violence against women and HIV has grown, including on the cycle of violence and the links between violence against children and women. To create an effective response to the HIV epidemic, it is key to prevent sexual violence against children and intimate partner violence (IPV) against adolescent girls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Authors analyzed data from national household surveys on violence against children undertaken by governments in Swaziland, Tanzania, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, with support of the Together for Girls initiative, as well as an analysis of evidence on effective programmes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data show that sexual and physical violence in childhood are linked to negative health outcomes, including increased sexual risk taking (eg, inconsistent condom use and increased number of sexual partners), and that girls begin experiencing IPV (emotional, physical, and sexual) during adolescence. Evidence on effective programmes addressing childhood sexual violence is growing. Key interventions focus on increasing knowledge among children and caregivers by addressing attitudes and practices around violence, including dating relationships. Programmes also seek to build awareness of services available for children who experience violence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings include incorporating attention to children into HIV and violence programmes directed to adults; increased coordination and leveraging of resources between these programmes; test transferability of programmes in low- and middle-income countries; and invest in data collection and robust evaluations of interventions to prevent sexual violence and IPV among children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article contributes to a growing body of evidence on the prevention of sexual violence and HIV in children.
authors.affiliation: *Child Protection Section, Programme Division, United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY; †Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; ‡UNAIDS/Together for Girls, Washington, DC; and §Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sommarin
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kilbane
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mercy
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moloney-Kitts
authors.forename: Daniela P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Ligiero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000517:prevention & control*