Early intervention: A foundation for lifelong violence prevention

Abstract

High levels of violence affect every family in South Africa. Exposure to violence starts early, in both the home and community. There are high levels of physical abuse of children and the national under-five homicide rate is more than double that of other low- and middle-income countries. Rates of violence are particularly high in poorer communities in the country, and many children already made vulnerable by poverty are also at risk from increased exposure to violence.