Scoping Review of the Psychological Effects of Gender-Based Violence on Children.

This scoping review examines the psychological effects of gender-based violence on children across 13 studies published between 2015 and 2025. The review found that children exposed to gender-based violence experience significant negative psychological, emotional, and social consequences, including internalizing and externalizing symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder, and difficulties with school performance and relationships. The authors highlight that children are often not recognized as direct victims of gender-based violence, which limits the support they receive. The review calls for comprehensive psychological, educational, and social support to protect children and prevent long-term harm to their well-being.

Key points

• Children exposed to gender-based violence experience internalizing and externalizing symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder
• Exposed children show difficulties in school performance, interpersonal relationships, and identity development
• Effects of gender-based violence on children may have long-term consequences affecting well-being and development later in life
• Children are often not acknowledged as direct and significant victims of gender-based violence, hindering their access to support
• The review analysed 13 open-access articles from the Web of Science platform published in English between 2015 and 2025

Limitations

This is a scoping review that synthesizes existing literature rather than conducting primary research, so it cannot establish causality or provide detailed epidemiological data. The review is limited to English-language articles from open-access sources, which may exclude important studies and introduce language and publication bias.