This research examines how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) shape pathways into adult violence in Finland, focusing on both victimisation and perpetration.
It aims to identify how early adversity influences risks of domestic and sexual violence, and why some individuals follow harmful trajectories while others do not. The study also establishes a validated, nationally representative measure of ACEs using the ACE-THL instrument.
The research addresses major public health and societal challenges, as violence contributes to significant health, social, and economic harms. By clarifying how childhood adversity translates into adult outcomes, it supports more effective prevention, early intervention, and service provision, helping to reduce cycles of violence.
Using the Healthy Finland Survey (2022-23) linked with national registers, the study draws on a range of quantitative methods, including item response theory and survival analysis, to model risk pathways and identify key mediators.
