Intimate partner violence (IPV) is increasingly considered as a global public health problem. However, very little is known about the burden of IPV on children living in the same household. To systematize existing data on the magnitude of childhood exposure to IPV a systematic review on prevalence of childhood exposure to IPV in low-income and lower-middle-income countries was conducted. To further explore health consequences that such violence has on children in low-income and lower-middle income countries, we analyzed data from population-based studies from three countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. It was found that about a third of children worldwide have been exposed to IPV. The findings highlight that children living in households with intimate partner violence have a 2-3 times higher likelihood to suffer mental distress as adults.