{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,17]],"date-time":"2026-07-17T01:39:14Z","timestamp":1784252354346,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"1","funder":[{"name":"Save the Children Sweden"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Glob Health"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2017,12,7]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Despite the extent and magnitude of violence against children in South Africa, political and financial investments to prevent violence against children remain low. A recent costing study investigating the social burden and economic impact of violence against children in South Africa found notable reductions to mental and physical health outcomes in the population if children were prevented from experiencing violence, neglect and witnessing family violence. The results showed, among others, that drug abuse in the entire population could be reduced by up to 14% if sexual violence against children could be prevented, self-harm could be reduced by 23% in the population if children did not experience physical violence, anxiety could be reduced by 10% if children were not emotionally abused, alcohol abuse could be reduced by 14% in women if they did not experience neglect as children, and lastly, interpersonal violence in the population could be reduced by 16% if children did not witness family violence. The study further estimated that the cost of inaction in 2015 amounted to nearly 5% of the country\u2019s gross domestic product. These findings show that preventing children from experiencing and witnessing violence can help to strengthen the health of a nation by ensuring children reach their full potential and drive the country\u2019s economy and growth. The paper further discusses ways in which preventing and ending violence against children may be prioritised in South Africa through, for instance, intersectoral collaboration and improving routine monitoring data, such as through the sustainable development goals.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2017-000573","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,6]],"date-time":"2018-01-06T20:10:16Z","timestamp":1515269416000},"page":"e000573","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":40,"title":["Violence against children in South Africa: the cost of inaction to society and the economy"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"3","author":[{"given":"Celia","family":"Hsiao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Save the Children South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa"},{"name":"Faculty of Health Sciences, MRC\/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Deborah","family":"Fry","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Catherine L","family":"Ward","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa"},{"name":"Safety and Violence Initiative, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gary","family":"Ganz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tabitha","family":"Casey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaodong","family":"Zheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiangming","family":"Fang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China"},{"name":"School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025072913254658000_3.1.e000573.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Meinck F , Cluver LD , Boyes ME , et al . 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