The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of women who had witnessed family violence in childhood and/or adolescence and were victims of violence in adult life, as well as identify the profile and risk behavior. The women investigated were being treated in a gynecology clinic at a tertiary healthcare service in northeastern Brazil. A cross-sectional cohort study was carried out, using univariate and bivariate analysis on 619 applied questionnaires. The results indicated a high prevalence of family violence in childhood and/or adolescence among female victims of violence in adult life (39.7%). Conclusions were drawn regarding the importance and need for identification and assistance to families at risk in order to prevent the practice of violence, which has been demonstrated to have cross-generational transmission.
Violence; cross-generational transmission; violence against women
