Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi
International estimates of intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents and young women are high, indicating the need to address IPV prevention early in life. Structural economic interventions, such as household cash transfer programmes, have the potential to improve the wellbeing of youth who...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
Taylor and Francis
2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179926 |
| _version_ | 1855542096539156480 |
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| author | Pereira, Audrey Chunga, Joseph Kafumba, Juba Tsoka, Maxton Barrington, Clare |
| author_browse | Barrington, Clare Chunga, Joseph Kafumba, Juba Pereira, Audrey Tsoka, Maxton |
| author_facet | Pereira, Audrey Chunga, Joseph Kafumba, Juba Tsoka, Maxton Barrington, Clare |
| author_sort | Pereira, Audrey |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | International estimates of intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents and young women are high, indicating the need to address IPV prevention early in life. Structural economic interventions, such as household cash transfer programmes, have the potential to improve the wellbeing of youth who are not the direct recipients of the transfers themselves. However, few studies have addressed this topic in terms of youth romantic and/or sexual relationships. We conducted 39 in-depth interviews with young women aged 19-29 years in households participating in the Government of Malawi’s Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) to examine relationship formation, IPV triggers and experiences, and help-seeking behaviours. We found that young women did not directly attribute SCTP effects to their intimate relationships or IPV experiences. Threats to masculinity and transgressions of women’s gender norms were key triggers of IPV, but specific triggers were linked to specific types of IPV. Furthermore, women sought help for non-IPV concerns more than IPV-related issues. Our results reveal there is a need to strengthen cash transfer programmes and layer them with tailored interventions for adolescents and young women in participant households to improve relationships and prevent IPV early in life. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace179926 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Taylor and Francis |
| publisherStr | Taylor and Francis |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1799262026-01-15T17:07:49Z Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi Pereira, Audrey Chunga, Joseph Kafumba, Juba Tsoka, Maxton Barrington, Clare domestic violence gender social protection cash transfers poverty International estimates of intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents and young women are high, indicating the need to address IPV prevention early in life. Structural economic interventions, such as household cash transfer programmes, have the potential to improve the wellbeing of youth who are not the direct recipients of the transfers themselves. However, few studies have addressed this topic in terms of youth romantic and/or sexual relationships. We conducted 39 in-depth interviews with young women aged 19-29 years in households participating in the Government of Malawi’s Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) to examine relationship formation, IPV triggers and experiences, and help-seeking behaviours. We found that young women did not directly attribute SCTP effects to their intimate relationships or IPV experiences. Threats to masculinity and transgressions of women’s gender norms were key triggers of IPV, but specific triggers were linked to specific types of IPV. Furthermore, women sought help for non-IPV concerns more than IPV-related issues. Our results reveal there is a need to strengthen cash transfer programmes and layer them with tailored interventions for adolescents and young women in participant households to improve relationships and prevent IPV early in life. 2026 2026-01-15T17:07:48Z 2026-01-15T17:07:48Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179926 en Open Access Taylor and Francis Pereira, Audrey; Chunga, Joseph; Kafumba, Juba; Tsoka, Maxton; and Barrington, Clare. Article in Press. Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi. Culture, Health & Sexuality. Article in press. First published online on January 5, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2025.2609888 |
| spellingShingle | domestic violence gender social protection cash transfers poverty Pereira, Audrey Chunga, Joseph Kafumba, Juba Tsoka, Maxton Barrington, Clare Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi |
| title | Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi |
| title_full | Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi |
| title_short | Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi |
| title_sort | exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in malawi |
| topic | domestic violence gender social protection cash transfers poverty |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179926 |
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