Childhood exposure to violence puts teens at sexual health risk

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-03-09 00:01

Australia; WA

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Children exposed to family and domestic violence are at an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and are more likely to terminate pregnancies, according to Australian research. The study found that children exposed to domestic or family violence had a 49% increased risk of being hospitalised with an STI and a 34% increased risk of being hospitalised for termination of pregnancy, after adjusting for a range of sociodemographic and clinical factors. The authors say that kids exposed to family and domestic violence should be prioritised for prevention and early intervention services.