Intimate Partner Violence Predicts Child Marriage and Pregnancy Among Adolescents in Malawi

A sizeable literature has shown that child marriage is associated with an increased risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). However, this research has been cross-sectional, and the temporality of the association has not been investigated. Specifically, no study has yet examined whether IPV is a predictor of child marriage and adolescent pregnancy. This study uses prospective longitudinal data on a cohort of adolescent girls from the Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health to evaluate whether IPV victimization predicts child marriage or adolescent pregnancy. Using survival models, we find that adolescent girls who experienced physical IPV (measured at survey baseline, in 2017-2018) are more likely to enter child marriages (measured at survey follow-up, in 2021) (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.7 [1.44, 5.08]). Experiencing sexual IPV is also significantly associated with adolescent pregnancy (HR = 1.97 [1.16, 3.33]). These findings indicate the need for greater intervention to ensure healthy adolescent relationships, as well as further research to understand how abusive relationships shape early transitions to adulthood.

The prevalence of intimate partner violence in Australia: a national survey

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the prevalence in Australia of intimate partner violence, each intimate partner violence type, and multitype intimate partner violence, overall and by gender, age group, and sexual orientation.

STUDY DESIGN

National survey; Composite Abuse Scale (Revised)-Short Form administered in mobile telephone interviews, as a component of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study.

SETTING

Australia, 9 April - 11 October 2021.

PARTICIPANTS

8503 people aged 16 years or older: 3500 aged 16-24 years and about 1000 each aged 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, or 65 years or older.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Proportions of participants who had ever been in an intimate partner relationship since the age of 16 years (overall, and by gender, age group, and sexual orientation) who reported ever experiencing intimate partner physical, sexual, or psychological violence.

RESULTS

Survey data were available for 8503 eligible participants (14% of eligible persons contacted), of whom 7022 had been in intimate relationships. The prevalence of experiencing any intimate partner violence was 44.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 43.3-46.2%); physical violence was reported by 29.1% (95% CI, 27.7-30.4%) of participants, sexual violence by 11.7% (95% CI, 10.8-12.7%), and psychological violence by 41.2% (95% CI, 39.8-42.6%). The prevalence of experiencing intimate partner violence was significantly higher among women (48.4%; 95% CI, 46.3-50.4%) than men (40.4%; 95% CI, 38.3-42.5%); the prevalence of physical, sexual, and psychological violence were also higher for women. The proportion of participants of diverse genders who reported experiencing intimate partner violence was high (62 of 88 participants; 69%; 95% CI, 55-83%). The proportion of non-heterosexual participants who reported experiencing intimate partner violence (70.2%; 95% CI, 65.7-74.7%) was larger than for those of heterosexual orientation (43.1%; 95% CI, 41.6-44.6%). More women (33.7%; 95% CI, 31.7-35.6%) than men (22.7%; 95% CI, 20.9-24.5%) reported multitype intimate partner violence. Larger proportions of participants aged 25-44 years (51.4%; 95% CI, 48.9-53.9%) or 16-24 years (48.4%, 95% CI, 46.1-50.6%) reported experiencing intimate partner violence than of participants aged 45 years or older (39.9%; 95% CI, 37.9-41.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

Intimate partner violence is widespread in Australia. Women are significantly more likely than men to experience any intimate partner violence, each type of violence, and multitype intimate partner violence. A comprehensive national prevention policy is needed, and clinicians should be helped with recognising and responding to intimate partner violence.

Activation of somatostatin neurons in the medial amygdala reverses long-term aggression and social deficits associated to early-life stress in male mice

Early postnatal development is a critical period for the configuration of neural networks that support social and affective-like behaviors. In this sense, children raised in stressful environments are at high risk to develop maladaptive behaviors immediately or later in life, including anti-social and aggressive behaviors. However, the neurobiological bases of such phenomena remain poorly understood. Here we showed that, at long-term, maternal separation with early weaning (MSEW) decreased the density of somatostatin-expressing (SST+) neurons in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of females and males, while their activity was only reduced in the medial amygdala (MeA) of males. Interestingly, only MSEW males exhibited long-term behavioral effects, including reduced sociability and social novelty preference in the 3-chamber test (3CH), decreased social interest in the resident-intruder test (RI), and increased aggressivity in both the RI and the tube dominance test (TT). To test whether the manipulation of MeASST+ neurons was sufficient to reverse these negative behavioral outcomes, we expressed the chemogenetic excitatory receptor hM3Dq in MSEW adult males. We found that the activation of MeASST+ neurons ameliorated social interest in the RI test and reduced aggression traits in the TT and RI assays. Altogether, our results highlight a role for MeASST+ neurons in the regulation of aggressivity and social interest and point to the loss of activity of these neurons as a plausible etiological mechanism linking early life stress to these maladaptive behaviors in later life.

Attitudes towards wife-beating justification and its association with female genital mutilation - analysis of ever-married Somali women in the 2020 Somali Health and Demographic Survey

BACKGROUND

In Somalia, despite its prohibition, female circumcision persists alongside significant intimate partner violence. This study examines the prevalence of wife-beating justification among Somali women and its link to the perception that female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a religious obligation.

METHODS

We studied 7726 married Somali women 15-49 y of age from the 2020 Somali Health and Demographic Survey. Using χ2 tests and logistic regression, we examined wife-beating justification by covariates and its connection to the perception that FGM/C is a religious obligation.

RESULTS

The prevalence of women justifying wife-beating for any of six reasons was 56.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 55.3 to 57.6). A higher prevalence of wife-beating justification was found among women 35-49 y of age (59.9% [95% CI 57.8 to 61.9]), without education (57.7% [95% CI 56.5 to 59.0]), rural residents (57.8% [95% CI 56.3 to 59.2]), with lower socio-economic status (60.4% [95% CI 58.7 to 62.1]) and married before age 18 y (58.4% [95% CI 56.7 to 60.1]). Adjusted for covariates, logistic regression analyses indicated a significant association between wife-beating justification and the belief that FGM/C is mandated by religion (adjusted odds ratio 1.40 [95% CI 1.17 to 1.68], p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Wife-beating justification is alarmingly common among Somali women and significantly associated with the belief that FGM/C is mandated by religion. Further research is necessary to investigate the drivers behind the acceptance of domestic violence, its impact on women's mental health and well-being and its association with FGM/C acceptance.

A Global Examination on the Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: A Multilevel Modeling Analysis

Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a global health and human rights issue. This study explores the multilevel risk factors-individual, interpersonal, neighborhood, and national-that influence attitudes toward wife abuse. Using multilevel modeling, data from the World Value Survey and country-level datasets (n = 76,025), our findings suggest that improving perceptions of gender inequality (individual-level) and emphasizing the values of democracy (country-level) are particularly critical to reducing positive attitudes toward IPVAW. Additionally, merely enacting domestic violence laws may not change attitudes that tolerate IPVAW. Instead, the proper implementation, resources, and public awareness of these laws are crucial, particularly among women.

Changes in the prevalence of forcible rape, physical violence, and physical partner violence among men and women in Norway: a population-based repeated cross-sectional study in 2013 and 2022

BACKGROUND

Repeated prevalence studies are necessary to monitor the government's progress toward preventing community violence over time. This study aims to identify possible changes in self-reported physical violence, forcible rape, and physical partner violence in the Norwegian general population between 2013 and 2022.

METHODS

The 2022 and 2013 studies employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing identical sampling procedures and measures in 2022. Participants aged 18-74, including males and females, were randomly selected from the Norwegian National Population Registry. Data were collected through phone interviews. The response rate in 2022 was 25.3% of those who answered the phone and 42.9% in 2013. The total number of respondents was 4,295 in 2022 and 4,527 in 2013.

RESULTS

Confidence intervals from bootstrapped analyses were used to evaluate crude differences in prevalence estimates between 2013 and 2022 for women and men separately. Among women, the lifetime prevalence of self-reported forcible rape increased from 9.4% in 2013 to 14.4% in 2022 (∆prevalence = 5.0%, 95% CI 3.1-6.8); severe physical violence in adulthood increased from 22.5% to 29.4% (∆prevalence = 6.9%, 95% CI 4.4-9.5); and physical partner violence in adulthood increased from 9.2% to 11.2% (∆prevalence = 2.0%, 95% CI 0.7-3.4). There were no statistically significant changes in self-reported forcible rape, physical violence, and physical partner violence among men between 2013 and 2022. Logistic regression analyses (adjusted for gender, age, education, financial situation, and marital status) corroborated these findings showing overall increased odds of self-reported forcible rape (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.42-2.04), severe physical partner violence (aOR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.09-1.58) and severe physical violence (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.14-1.37) in the 2022 survey compared to the 2013 survey.

CONCLUSIONS

Forcible rape, physical violence, and physical partner violence were highly prevalent in 2022 and remain significant challenges in Norway. The reported exposure to all three severe violence forms increased among females between 2013 and 2022. These findings call for immediate action and underscore the need for continued governmental efforts toward preventing violence. Given the high prevalence, these efforts should be targeted towards the general population.

Acceptability, Feasibility, and Preliminary Efficacy of Schools Championing Safe South Africa, a Social Norms Intervention to Prevent HIV Risk Behavior and Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence Among Teenage Boys

Schools Championing Safe South Africa is an intervention to prevent sexual violence perpetration and HIV/STI risk behavior among teenage boys, focusing on correcting misperceived social norms regarding risk behavior and engaging boys, teachers and peers in school. We tested its acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy in a pilot RCT (N = 282). 99% of intervention boys reported high satisfaction with content, format, and delivery. There was good facilitator fidelity to the manualized protocol and 99% retention at 6-month follow-up. Among intervention boys, completed acts of any sexual violence perpetration (touching, oral, anal, and/or vaginal sex) decreased from 71% (95% CI: 61%, 80%) at baseline to 55% (95% CI: 44%, 66%) at 1 month follow-up, with a percentage difference of 15% (95% CI: 4%, 26%; p = 0.004). At 6 months, change was not significant (72-68%; p = 0.353). For the intervention group, attempted acts of any sexual violence perpetration reduced from 49% (95% CI: 40%, 58%) at baseline to 25% (95% CI: 17%, 33%) at 1 month, with a percentage difference of 22% (95% CI: 11%, 32%; p < 0.001) but was not sustained at 6 months (47-43%; p = 0.446). Across timepoints, the control group did not show significant changes in completed or attempted perpetration. There were no significant changes in condom use in the intervention or control groups. Behavioral signals of positive change for prevention of sexual violence perpetration combined with high acceptability and feasibility indicate that the intervention should be tested further for efficacy.

Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence Among Chinese University Students: Victimization, Perpetration, and Association with Mental Health

Technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) refers to a range of unwanted sexually related behaviors communicated and transmitted through digital technologies, including digital sexual harassment, image-based sexual abuse, sexual aggression and/or coercion, and gender and/or sexuality-based harassment. This study, based on a sample of 1246 undergraduate students (688 women, 558 men) aged 17-25 years in China, investigated the incidence of TFSV victimization and perpetration and their associations with mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) and alcohol use. Participants completed the TFSV 21-item scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and Alcohol Use Scale. Results showed that the overall victimization incidence was 69.2% (69.6% for women and 68.6% for men) and the overall perpetration incidence was 31.7% (26.6% for women and 38.0% for men). The perpetration incidence was significantly higher for men than for women; for victimization, a sex difference was not observed. Furthermore, participants who self-reported as TFSV victims tended to have higher levels of depression, stress, anxiety, and more alcohol use compared to non-victims. Victims who were also perpetrators exhibited the highest levels of mental health issues and alcohol use compared to victim only, perpetrator only, and neither (non-victim and non-perpetration). These results contributed new data on the prevalence of TFSV victimization and perpetration as well as their relationship with mental health conditions. Moreover, the high prevalence of TFSV and its association with negative mental health condition indicate the need for interventions aimed at reducing both perpetration and victimization rates in China.

Zethembe: a co-developed couples intervention for young heterosexual couples in informal settlements in South Africa

Effective interventions to address violence against women and girls in urban informal settlements are limited. To address this gap, we undertook an intervention co-development process, bringing together four young women (aged 18-25 years) living in an urban informal settlement, academics and NGO partners. Following the 6 Steps in Quality Intervention Development (6SQuID) approach we collaboratively worked through the steps using participatory methods, supporting the young women to think critically and interrogate their lived reality, identify the causes of violence in their lives, and where they felt change was possible. We co-created Zethembe Couples Care, and 'pre-tested' this with 17 participants (some were couples). Finally, the academics and practitioners revised the intervention and theory of change. The co-development process led to a series of learnings: the process of building trust and supporting young women to reflect and understand their lived realities took a long time (12 of 15 months), limiting intervention development time. The process also enabled young women to push back against received academic/practitioner wisdom, leading to a couples intervention focused on addressing communication and problem solving, where they felt change was possible, but potentially they could not adequately consider addressing structural drivers of violence. The Zethembe Couples Care intervention now requires piloting at a larger scale to develop it further and formally evaluate it.

Investigation of the relationship between intimate partner violence and menopausal symptoms

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the relationship between intimate partner violence and menopausal symptoms.

METHODS

The cross-sectional design included 168 postmenopausal women, 69 in the self-reported intimate partner violence group and 99 in the control (no experience of intimate partner violence) group. The women were registered in a family health center. Menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ2 test, independent-samples t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In our study, it was found that 62.3% of the women in the intimate partner violence group experienced physical, 71.0% verbal, 29.0% psychological, 4.3% economic, and 1.4% sexual violence. It was determined that there was a relationship between intimate partner violence and menopausal symptoms (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.17).

CONCLUSIONS

In the study, it was found that there was a relationship between intimate partner violence and menopausal symptoms.

Evolution of intimate partner violence impacts from cash transfers, food transfers, and behaviour change communication: Mixed-method experimental evidence from a nine-year post-programme follow-up in Bangladesh

Cash or food transfers can reduce intimate partner violence (IPV), but knowledge gaps remain on how impacts evolve over time, and the role of complementary 'plus' activities and contextual factors. We conducted a mixed-method analysis of how the Transfer Modality Research Initiative in Bangladesh affected IPV over time. The programme was implemented from 2012 to 2014, following a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design, across Northern and Southern Bangladesh. Intervention arms included monthly cash or food transfers, with or without complementary nutrition behaviour change communication (BCC). We estimate post-programme impacts on IPV using quantitative data collected in 2014-2015, 2018, and 2022, and combine this with qualitative data collected in 2023 to explore how and why IPV impacts evolved over time and the role of contextual factors. In the North, combining cash with BCC led to sustained IPV reductions in each post-programme round, while cash alone reduced IPV in 2022 but not the previous two rounds; food transfers showed no post-programme impacts. In the South, combining food with BCC led to post-programme IPV reductions in 2014-2015; no intervention sustained IPV reductions thereafter. Sustained IPV reductions are primarily driven by improved household economic security and emotional well-being. Other pathways - family relationships (including in-laws' roles), women's empowerment, and social and community support - contributed to changing couples' relationships during the programme but became less salient after the programme ended. Contextual factors, including demographic changes, climate-related changes, external projects and norms condoning IPV appear to influence the sustainability of impacts. Results suggest that 'plus' programming was key to sustaining IPV impacts soon after the interventions, but less so by nine years post-programme, as economic security increasingly drove impacts. More mixed method research is needed from the outset to unpack if and how pathways to IPV reduction can be sustained in different contexts over time.

Midwives' experiences working with women and girls surviving violence in Yemen: a qualitative study

Background

Yemeni women and girls have long endured pervasive violence, a situation further exacerbated by the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is strongly stigmatized in the Yemeni context. In under-resourced, rural settings like Yemen, where gender inequities prevent women and girls from accessing the formal health system, community midwives may be an important resource for women and girls who experience interpersonal violence. This study explored community midwives' knowledge, training, and applied experience working with women and girls who experience interpersonal violence.

Methods

We conducted 20 in-depth interviews with community midwives in four Yemeni governorates. A female Yemeni physician and qualitative researcher trained in the ethical conduct of VAWG-related research conducted interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Participants gave verbal consent for participation in the one-time interview. We used thematic analysis to summarise the findings. Interviews were transcribed in Arabic and English, and differences in interpretation were resolved through consensus.

Results

While midwives had limited formal training in supporting women and girls who experience interpersonal violence, they play a critical role in responding to VAWG in Yemen. Community midwives provide psychological support, contraception, violence-related health care, and referrals to more advanced healthcare and protection services, including women-friendly spaces (WFSs) and shelters. Lack of training and treatment guidelines, in addition to a lack of supportive services and VAWG-related stigma, were important barriers for midwives working with VAWG. The stigma associated with sexual violence discouraged women from seeking health care or accessing limited protection services.

Conclusion

Community midwives in Yemen are well-placed to support women and girls who experience violence. Midwives should receive context-appropriate training and support to work with women and girls who experience violence. The lack of available services and the stigma associated with experiencing, reporting and supporting VAWG survivors must be carefully considered before designing any intervention.

Intimate Partner Violence in El Salvador: A Relationship Between Femicide Attempts and Barriers to Help-Seeking

Research has examined the relationship between femicides, understood as the killing of any woman, and intimate partner violence (IPV). Additionally, women have been found to seek out formal help when they deem their experiences to be severe, yet many reasons prevent them from doing so; hindering our ability to interrupt the cycle of violence and further victimization. Using the Salvadoran 2017 Violence Against Women National Survey, this study examines the relationships between femicide attempts, IPV, and formal help-seeking. We find a significant positive relationship between experiencing a femicide attempt and IPV, and specific reasons for not seeking formal help.

Testing the Spillover Effect of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization on Emotionally Abusive and Harsh Parenting Practices: The Application of Propensity Score Matching

Prior research reported a significant association between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and negative parenting, but there was an overreliance on U.S. samples and families from low socioeconomic status backgrounds. Therefore, this quasi-experimental study examined the association between recent IPV victimization and abusive parenting practices in a sample of community-based women from Poland. Participants were mothers of children aged 2 to 5 years (N = 610) attending an outpatient clinic located in a city in south-eastern Poland. Mothers were asked about their IPV experiences in the past 12 months and were classed as either IPV positive or IPV negative. Outcome measures assessed emotionally abusive and harsh parenting practices. All data were collected online. To reduce bias in background characteristics (i.e., age, education, employment status, financial distress, self-esteem, childhood violence history, alcohol problems, current mental distress, social support, exposure to COVID-19-pandemic-related stressors, and child sex), we applied the propensity score matching (PSM) technique. Group differences before and after matching were examined using independent samples t-tests. Prematching analyses revealed that IPV-positive mothers used significantly more emotionally abusive and harsh parenting practices than IPV-negative mothers. However, the two samples differed substantially on six background characteristics which are known risk factors for IPV and child maltreatment (financial distress, self-esteem, childhood violence history, current mental distress, social support, and exposure to COVID-19-pandemic-related stressors). PSM was successful in reducing those imbalances. Postmatching group comparisons were statistically nonsignificant for emotionally abusive and harsh parenting, disproving the spillover hypothesis. We conclude that IPV victimization is not related to emotionally abusive and harsh parenting practices when controlling for confounding variables.

Women at crossroads: a qualitative study of induced abortion and violence in a Ghanaian region

Unsafe abortions contribute significantly to maternal mortality and morbidity in Ghana. To reduce this, in 1982 abortion laws in Ghana underwent reform to broaden the conditions under which abortion is accessed. Although, evidence in other contexts highlights the contribution of violence to women's experience of unwanted pregnancy and abortion, such evidence is limited within the Ghanaian abortion literature. This study aims to fill that gap. Informed by phenomenology, interviews were conducted with 10 women who had experienced various forms of violence leading to unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortions. Participants were recruited between June 2017 and March 2018 in the Ashanti region of Ghana where they sought hospital care for unsafe abortion related complications. Participants mentioned intimate partners as the main perpetrators of violence. Financial challenges were also identified as important in increasing women's vulnerability to violence. Verbal abuse from health workers contributed to denying women access to safe abortion. This paper advances dialogue about the ways in which women's experience of violence from intimate/non-intimate partners and healthcare workers impacts their overall abortion experience. It advocates the empowerment of women to enable them to leave violent relationships, and the retraining of health workers to enable them to adopt respectful and empathetic care practices.

Emotional violence within intimate partner violence against Turkish women in rural and urban areas

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors related to women's exposure to emotional violence by their spouses/partners in the 12 months prior to the survey, according to their place of residence (rural, urban) in Türkiye.

METHODS

Binary logistic regression analysis was utilized to determine the factors associated with women's exposure to emotional violence from their spouses/partners. The independent variables of the study were those used in the National Research on Domestic Violence against Women in Türkiye (2014). A total of 6,458 women-4,404 from urban areas and 2,054 from rural areas-were included in the analysis.

RESULTS

The findings obtained from the analyses indicated that women's exposure to emotional violence was associated with various factors such as age, educational level, marital status, and women's higher income contribution to the household. It was also found that afraid of spouse/partner, controlling behavior of spouse/partner, and other variables related to spouse/partner were associated with women's exposure to emotional violence. In rural, a woman with a higher income contribution to the household is less likely to be exposed to emotional IPV. A woman with no formal education, a primary and secondary school graduate spouse/partner is less likely to be exposed to emotional IPV than a woman with a high school graduate spouse/partner. The likelihood of a woman with a spouse/partner using drugs to be exposed to emotional IPV is lower than a non-user.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study are important in that they can be a source of information for policies and programs to prevent IPV against women. This study can also be a significant guide in determining priority areas for the resolution of emotional IPV against women. The study suggests developing proper strategies for reducing emotional violence, such as training and programs to help women pursue non-violent pathways in their relationships. It recommends expanding interventions to empower women economically that help prevent violence.

Motivational strategies reduce recidivism and enhance treatment adherence in intimate partner violence perpetrators with substance use problems

Introduction

The incorporation of motivational strategies has shown promising results in increasing the effectiveness of intervention programs for intimate partner violence perpetrators, such as enhancing treatment adherence and decreasing risk of intimate partner violence recidivism. This could be particularly important for participants with alcohol and/or other drug use problems (ADUPs), who are at higher risk of recidivating and dropping out from the intervention. Consequently, there is a need to study whether motivational strategies are also effective for high-risk and highly resistant participants. The aim of this study was to determine whether the incorporation of motivational strategies led to improved outcomes in participants with ADUPs compared to those without.

Methods

Participants were intimate partner violence male perpetrators who received a standard intervention (n = 349) or a standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan (n = 367). Data on official intimate partner violence recidivism, intervention dose, and dropout were collected after the end of the intervention. Comparisons were made between participants with and without ADUPs in each intervention condition.

Results

Results showed that in the full sample of participants, irrespective of their condition, those with ADUPs presented a higher recidivism (p = .007) and dropout rate (p = .003) and lower intervention dose than those without ADUPs (p = .005). When only considering participants in the standard intervention, results also showed that intimate partner violence perpetrators with ADUPs had a higher recidivism (p = .025) and dropout rate (p = .015) and lower intervention dose (p = .048) than those without. However, there were no significant differences between participants with and without ADUPs in the standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan.

Discussion

When incorporating motivational strategies into the standard interventions for intimate partner violence perpetrators, disparities between participants with and without ADUPs were mitigated. Specifically, participants with ADUPs showed similar outcomes to those without ADUPs after receiving the standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan. Our results suggest that motivational strategies may be effective in reducing intimate partner violence recidivism and improving treatment adherence in high-risk and highly resistant intimate partner violence perpetrators.

An umbrella review of health outcomes following traumatic brain injury

While numerous reviews have assessed the association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and various mental and physical health outcomes, a comprehensive evaluation of the scope, validity, and quality of evidence is lacking. Here we present an umbrella review of a wide range of health outcomes following TBI and outline outcome risks across subpopulations. On 17 May 2023, we searched Embase, Medline, Global Health, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We compared risk ratios across different outcomes for risks compared with people without TBI and examined study quality, including heterogeneity, publication bias, and prediction intervals. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023432255). We identified 24 systematic reviews and meta-analyses covering 24 health outcomes in 31,397,958 participants. The current evidence base indicates an increased risk of multiple mental and physical health outcomes, including psychotic disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, suicide, and depression. Three outcomes-dementia, violence perpetration, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-had meta-analytical evidence of at least moderate quality, which suggest targets for more personalized assessment. Health-care services should review how to prevent adverse long-term outcomes in TBI.

Polygyny and intimate partner violence among married women: Sub-national estimates from a cross-sectional study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global issue with several social and health consequences. Global estimates indicate that one-third of women have experienced lifetime IPV. In 2013, sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest rates of IPV. Furthermore, previous research showed that polygyny is positively associated with IPV. This study examined associations between polygyny and IPV in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with a special attention to geographical variations. The paper used a subsample of 3,749 married women from 2013-2014 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in the DRC. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was conducted to test statistical significance between polygyny and IPV and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Findings showed spatial variations for polygyny and the three types of IPV. Overall, 19.0% of married women were in polygynous unions. This percentage ranged from 5.7% in North Kivu to 29.4% in Kasai occidental. In the last 12 months, 28.6%, 27.8%, and 19.6% of married women reported physical, emotional, and sexual violence, respectively, while 43.2% reported any form of IPV. IPV rates ranged from 18.1% in Kongo central to 58.3% in Kasai occidental. Net of controls, women in polygynous unions living Bandundu [AOR = 2.16, 95%CI = 1.38-3.38], Katanga [AOR = 1.78, 95%CI = 1.09-2.89], North Kivu [AOR = 6.22, 95%CI = 1.67-23.22], and South Kivu [AOR = 2.79, 95%CI = 1.03-7.54] had higher rates of IPV than their counterparts in monogamous unions. Spatial analyses showed that Kasai Occidental had the highest rates of IPV. Overall, being in polygynous increased significantly the odds of IPV. Programmatically, policymakers and stakeholders need to devise more effective policies and IPV interventions targeting polygynous families in DRC to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5.2, that aimed to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030.

Changes in Psychiatric Symptoms in Swedish Mothers Who Took Part in Project Support: An Intervention for Mothers Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence With Children Who Have Developed Conduct Problems

Project Support (PS) is an evidence-based individual support and parenting program developed for mothers exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) whose children have developed conduct disorders. This Swedish feasibility study focuses on changes in the mothers' psychiatric symptoms, in relation to social and emotional support received as part of PS. In a within-subject design in a naturalistic setting (i.e., 10 social service units), mothers (n = 35) reported a significant decrease in symptoms, but from an individual perspective, most mothers still suffered from clinical levels of psychiatric symptoms. The need for additional interventions for mothers exposed to IPV is discussed.

The Role of Gender Norms on Intimate Partner Violence Among Newly Married Adolescent Girls and Young Women in India: A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis

Gender norms have been posited to impact intimate partner violence (IPV), but there is scant evidence of the longitudinal association between community-level gender norms and IPV. Using longitudinal data on 3,965 married girls surveyed in India, we fitted mixed-effects ordinal and binary logistic regression models for physical IPV intensity and occurrence of sexual IPV. We found a 26% increase in the odds that women experience frequent physical IPV per one unit increase in greater community-level equitable gender norms. We did not find an association between community-level equitable gender norms and sexual IPV. Findings suggest that the relationship between gender norms and physical and sexual IPV differs, indicating the need for tailored interventions for different types of IPV.

Association Between Unmet Needs in Health Care and Social Services and Exposure to Violence Among Parents

OBJECTIVE

Existing research has shown that parental exposure to violence has negative consequences on health outcomes, but the effect of such exposure on unmet health care and social service need is unknown. This study aims to investigate the association between unmet health care and social services and parental violence exposure among parents with children.

STUDY DESIGN

This study used the data of 6289 parents aged 18-60 years who had at least one child under 18 years living in the same household. Parental violence exposure was measured. Unmet child and adult health care and social service need was operationalized through questions on the services needed, those that had not been received, and those that were considered inadequate.

RESULTS

Parents who experienced any kind of violence had more unmet service need. There were more women among parents with violence experience (65.4%) than those with no violence experience (51.9%). Violence experience increased the odds of unmet need for general adult healthcare services (OR 2.02, CI 1.64-2.57), maternity and child health clinics (OR 2.52, CI 2.00-3.18), family guidance clinics and home help (OR 2.38, CI 1.60-3.54), mental health or child welfare services (OR 2.05, CI 1.52-2.75), and school health care (OR 1.99, 1.50-2.65). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, the associations between exposure to violence experience and unmet needs for healthcare and social services remained statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Violence in close relationships profoundly impacts health and well-being. By addressing unmet health care needs and supporting parents, we can break the cycle of violence and promote better mental health outcomes. Preventive policies and early interventions are essential to mitigate the consequences of violence in families.

Intimate partner violence among women of reproductive age during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the violence committed by both current and former spouses and partners, and the rate of this violence is known to increase during different pandemics. The pooled prevalence of IPV among pregnant women before the COVID-19 pandemic was 37%, however, the pooled prevalence of IPV among women during COVID-19 is not yet known. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of IPV and its determinants among women of reproductive age during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

The review was done as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline using different search databases such as: PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Virtual Health Library Regional Portal, HINARI (research4life), and Google Scholar.

Eligibility criteria

Those quantitative studies conducted in Ethiopia during the COVID-19 pandemic, that reported the prevalence of IPV among women of reproductive age, and were published in English from 13 March 2020 to 15 October 2025, were included for this study.

Data extraction and synthesis

All authors independently extracted data using the Joanna Briggs Institute manual for evidence synthesis. Any incongruity of the result in the data extraction process was resolved through discussions and consensus (ie, a Delphi process). The data were analysed using Stata Corp V.11 software. The heterogeneity between studies was assessed using I2 test statistics and the random-effects meta-analysis was done using the restricted maximum likelihood method. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots, and Egger's and Begg's tests.

Result

In this study, a total of 802 articles were identified using different electronic databases. Finally, 12 studies that fulfilled the eligibility criteria were included for systematic review and meta-analysis. A total of 7397 study participants were sampled from April 2020 to August 2021. The overall estimated pooled prevalence of IPV was 33.5% (95% CI 22.9% to 44.1%) and the prevalence of physical, psychological and sexual violence was 16.4%, 28.2% and 17.4%, respectively. Different factors such as: age of the young women (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=3.24; 95% CI 0.6, 5.8, p=0.015), lack of formal education (AOR=2.63; 95% CI 1.7, 3.6, p=0.000), partner's substance use (AOR=2.07; 95% CI 1.5, 2.7, p=0.000), partner not attending formal education (AOR=3.38; 95% CI 2.2, 4.6, p=0.000) and partner's alcohol use (AOR=2.82; 95% CI 1.1, 4.6, p=0.000) were found to be significantly associated with IPV among women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions

In this study, a third of women of reproductive age experienced IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women whose partners used alcohol and other substances were found to be vulnerable to IPV. Therefore, this finding gives an insight for policymakers to focus on empowering women and their partner's economic and educational status, promoting health education for partners towards the negative impact of bad behaviours like alcohol and other substance utilisation on their health, and the physical, mental and social wellbeing of women. Moreover, the burden of IPV is increased not only during such a pandemic but also during different internal displacements, conflicts and unrest. Therefore, we recommend policymakers to frequently assess IPV-related burdens during such events and act accordingly.

Does domestic violence legislation reduce permissive attitudes about intimate partner violence? Longitudinal evidence from men and women from 61 countries

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is highly prevalent and has substantial implication for women's health. Changing IPV attitudes is one pathway to reduce IPV. While evidence suggests that interventions targeting individuals may change IPV attitudes, the effect of wider-scale interventions, such as legislation, remains unknown.

Methods

We used individual-level IPV attitudes information collected between 1997 and 2020 by the Demographic and Health Surveys and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, which we linked with national-level domestic violence (DV) legislation information. We evaluated the effect of adoption of DV legislation on changes in IPV attitudes using a difference-in-differences study design that controlled for time-varying country-level confounding and accounted for staggered timing of legislation adoption.

Results

Our sample included harmonised information across 61 countries, composed of 2 184 047 women from 60 countries and 390 877 men from 40 countries. After controlling for country-level time-varying confounders, adoption of DV legislation reduced IPV acceptability among women (average treatment effect among treated=-0.07, 95% CI: -0.16, 0.06) and men (average treatment effect among treated=-0.11, 95% CI: -0.22, 0.03) although estimates were imprecise and included the null.

Conclusions

DV legislation may reduce permissive IPV attitudes, especially among men, although conclusions should be interpreted cautiously due to imprecise estimates.

"Infertility frightened me": Violence among infertile couples in Jordan

BACKGROUND

Women in couples experiencing infertility are at heightened risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) from husbands and domestic violence (DV) from family. Couples experiencing infertility in Jordan, a patriarchal culture with high rates of IPV and DV, are particularly vulnerable. This article explores the gendered similarities and differences in the experiences of mental health, social support, exclusion, and IPV.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are to understand both men and women's perspectives on their experiences of infertility and to develop intervention strategies to reduce IPV among married couples experiencing infertility.

DESIGN

This study is a descriptive, observational study.

METHODS

Through quantitative surveys and in-depth qualitative interviews, we examined key themes including: challenges to mental health and well-being; reproductive health and fertility care-seeking; experiences of shame, isolation, and discrimination; coping skills; sources of support; and challenges within spousal and family relationships.

RESULTS

In this article, we analyze primary areas of gender discordance and discuss how gendered experiences can shape implementation of psychosocial support intervention programs to prevent IPV. Our findings provide important insight into facilitators and barriers to prevention of IPV in this vulnerable group.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that providing both women and men with culturally appropriate support during fertility treatment-seeking can improve psychosocial health and couple functioning and ultimately to reduce the occurrence of IPV in this vulnerable population.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Intimate Partner Violence, and Mental Well-Being Among Mothers of Toddlers in Tirana, Albania: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Analysis

This article examines the relationship between maternal exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), intimate partner violence (IPV), and two aspects of maternal mental well-being-stress and depressive symptoms in the context of Tirana, Albania. Data were obtained from a representative sample of 328 mothers of 2-3-year-old children, who were registered in Tirana's public nurseries. Findings show that maternal ACEs are positively associated with stress levels (β = .210, z = 4.03, p < .001) and depressive symptoms (β = .129, z = 2.62, p < .01). In addition, IPV partially mediates the effect of ACEs on maternal stress (β = .081, z = 3.75, p < .001) and fully mediates the effect of ACEs on depressive symptoms (β = .054, z = 2.87, p < .01). These results suggest that among mothers of toddlers in Tirana, ACEs influence stress levels both directly and via IPV, while they influence depressive symptoms only via IPV. The findings demonstrate long-term effects of maternal exposure to interpersonal violence on mental well-being.

No evidence, no problem? A critical interpretive synthesis of the vulnerabilities to and experiences of sexual violence among young migrants in Europe

BACKGROUND

Growing evidence indicates that young migrants are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, however most research has focused on instances of sexual violence occurring in conflict zones and during transit. Much less attention has been given to the vulnerabilities to and experiences of sexual violence among young migrants in Europe.

OBJECTIVES

To understand the scientific evidence regarding the experiences of and vulnerabilities to sexual violence among young migrants (aged 11-30 years) in Europe.

METHODS

A search of three databases resulted in 1279 peer reviewed articles published between 2002 and 2022. Of these, 11 were included in this review. A critical interpretive synthesis methodology was applied.

RESULTS

Few studies investigate sexual violence among young migrants in Europe. The existing studies focus on very specific sub-groups of migrants, and as such, experiences of persons outside these groups are largely absent from the academic discourse. How sexual violence is understood varies across studies, often conflated with other forms of violence, hampering comparisons. However, the results of this review indicate that young migrants in Europe, both male and female, experience sexual violence and there are multiple sources of vulnerabilities at all levels of the socioecological model.

CONCLUSION

The scarcity of research regarding sexual violence among young migrants in Europe could give rise to the perception that no evidence means no problem, resulting in a continued lack of attention to this issue. There is a critical need to address this gap to inform prevention interventions, to identify victims, and to facilitate access to care.

Healthy lifestyle factors and male perpetration of intimate partner violence: a cross-sectional study in Mwanza, Tanzania

BACKGROUND

In Tanzania, nearly half of ever-married women have experienced some form of intimate partner violence (IPV), yet little knowledge of IPV from the male perspective exists.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of essential healthy lifestyle factors, diet, sleep, and exercise, and their potential role in IPV perpetration.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,002 young men (ages 18-24), 754 of which were in an intimate relationship in the previous year. The study took place in Mwanza, Tanzania and used multivariable logistic regression models to explore associations between male perpetration of IPV and diet, sleep, and exercise.

RESULTS

Six types of IPV perpetration were investigated separately and the prevalence of controlling behaviours (79.4%), economic abuse (30.6%), emotional abuse (47.3%), physical violence (16.4%), sexual violence (23.3%), and combined physical and/or sexual violence (32.1%) were obtained. Regular exercise demonstrated a protective effect for economic abuse perpetration; the chance of mildly active individuals perpetrating economic abuse was 38% less than their inactive counterparts (p = 0.003). Associations with sleep were varied and did not show a clear directional relationship. Diet, defined as poor food variety, was positively associated with every IPV type except physical violence and was significant in sexual violence perpetration (aOR:1.57, 95%CI:1.21-2.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this study indicate that considering healthy lifestyle behaviours - diet, sleep, and exercise - in the design of intervention programmes may be beneficial in reducing IPV perpetration in Tanzania, and that they should be considered alongside previously established evidence-based risk factors.

Experience of Intimate Partner Violence-Related Head Trauma and Its Association With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Symptoms Among Community Dwelling Women and Men

Individuals who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) often report posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms and IPV-related head trauma (IPV-HT), which can also affect mental health. We aimed to estimate rates of IPV-HT and examine the unique associations of IPV, HT, and IPV-HT with PTSD and depression symptom severity in a community-based sample of cohabitating couples. A total of 413 participants (216 women, 1 non-binary) self-reported lifetime history of HT and physical IPV. Chi-square analyses and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the proportion of women and men who reported IPV-HT. Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn's post-hoc testing and Bonferroni correction were used to compare symptom severity across five groups: (a) IPV-HT, (b) non-IPV-related HT (Other HT) with exposure to physical IPV (IPV-Other HT), (c) Other HT without exposure to physical IPV (No IPV-Other HT), (d) no exposure to HT with exposure to physical IPV (IPV-No HT), and (e) no exposure to HT without exposure to physical IPV (No IPV-No HT). A greater proportion of women than men reported IPV-HT from a fight or being strangled (fight: 50.0% vs. 3.6%, p < .001; Strangulation: 74.1% vs. 3.8%, p < .001). The IPV-HT and IPV-Other HT groups endorsed greater PTSD and depression symptom severity compared to all individuals with no history of physical IPV, regardless of HT exposure (IPV-No HT and IPV-Other HT groups). No differences in symptom severity between the IPV-HT and the other IPV groups (No HT and Other HT) were found. These results suggest that PTSD and depression symptom severity may be driven by experiencing physical IPV, with some exacerbation due to experiencing HT of any etiology. Future work seeking to examine the effects of IPV-HT on PTSD and depression symptom severity should consider any history of physical IPV and any additional HT exposures.

Understanding Cognitive Performance, Psychological Factors, and Personality Traits in Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) might increase the risk of depression, traumatic stress and affect cognitive performance. We analyzed the cognitive performance, psychological factors, and personality traits of 136 Brazilian women (n = 70 exposed to IPV and n = 66 non-exposed) aged 18 years or older. We utilized clinical interviews, the NEO Personality Inventory, and a neuropsychological testing battery. The statistical analyses employed moderation within variables, resulting in determination coefficients (r2) of 0.15 and 0.35. The husband was the primary aggressor, physical violence was the most frequent (90.6%). Women exposed to IPV exhibited more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, neuroticism, difficulties in visual memory, and visuospatial abilities. The analysis indicated the influence of IPV, neuroticism, PTSD, and depression on the cognitive performance of the exposed to IPV.

Genital self-image and sexual distress in married women with and without sexual intimate partner violence experience in Iran

Objectives

The impact of sexual intimate partner violence (SIPV) on female genital self-image and sexual distress is not well understood. We aimed to assess whether women with and without SIPV experiences differed in terms ofgenital self-image and sexual distress.

Methods

An online survey was conducted among married, reproductive-age women registered at healthcare centers in Amol, northern Iran. A total of 722 eligible women completed the survey between March and June 2022. Genital self-image and sexual distress were measured using the Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R), respectively.

Results

Overall, 28.7 % of the women reported experiencing SIPV. Independent t-tests revealed significant differences between the SIPV and non-SIPV groups in mean FGSIS and FSDS-R scores (21.18 ± 3.92 vs. 21.91 ± 3.76, p = 0.002 and 13.18 ± 11.45 vs. 7.54 ± 9.75, p < 0.001, respectively). In multivariate regression analysis, income satisfaction remained independently associated with both FGSIS and FSDS-R scores. Age and having a child were associated with FGSIS, while SIPV experience was only associated with FSDS-R.

Conclusion

Women with SIPV experiences had lower mean FGSIS scores and higher mean FSDS-R scores than those without such experiences. However, in multivariate analysis, only the FSDS-R score remained significantly associated with SIPV experience.

The Effect of Economic Reliance, Stress, and Women's Employment Status on Intimate Partner Violence Risk Among Partnered Women in Burkina Faso and Kenya

Economic factors, such as economic reliance on male partners, and economic stressors such as household income or employment loss, play an important role in the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) within romantic partnerships. To investigate these relationships, we used survey data from IPUMS Performance Monitoring for Action that were collected in 2020 and 2021. We assessed the relationship between several economic factors-(1) women's economic reliance on their partners, (2) household income loss, and (3) respondent's employment status over the past year-and experience of IPV in the past year in Burkina Faso (N = 2,646) and Kenya (N = 3,416). Women who reported being economically reliant on their partners were less likely to experience physical or psychological violence in Burkina Faso (Prevalence ratio [PR]: 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26-0.64 and PR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.59-0.94, respectively), and physical violence in Kenya (PR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.52-0.90) compared to women who reported not being economically reliant. In Kenya, women in households that experienced a complete loss of income were more likely to experience IPV compared to households that did not experience income loss-1.9 times more likely to experience psychological violence, and three times more likely to experience sexual violence. In Burkina Faso, no significant relationship was found between household income loss and IPV. Our findings indicate that both relative economic empowerment and overall economic stress may act as important risk factors for IPV, particularly where patriarchal and gender inequitable norms are relevant. These findings reinforce the need for a nuanced and intersectional understanding of IPV risk and intervention development, with the relationships between economic dynamics and IPV varying across countries and contexts.

The Role of Emergency Medicine in Intimate Partner Violence: A Scoping Review of Screening, Survivor Resources, and Barriers

At the front line of our medical system and population health, emergency medicine (EM) settings serve as a commonly perceived place for safety. Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) may present to the emergency department (ED) with injuries, illness, or specifically to seek help for IPV. In 2018, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended screening women of reproductive age for IPV across all healthcare settings. Our objective was to examine the application of IPV interventions, resource allocation, and persistent barriers for screening within the EM setting following the USPSTF recommendation. This scoping review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). Our initial search of two major databases, PubMed and CINAHL, found 259 articles. After screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles met the full study criteria. Inconsistencies in screening women for IPV in EM are still prevalent. No study used the same validated IPV screening tool and four did not specify the tool. Significant barriers to screening included time constraints, patient acuity, language barriers, staff education, and inability to connect patients to resources. There is a need for more consistent IPV screening in the EM setting, which may include the development of a standardized, inclusive screening tool, as well as additional research and sharing of best practices. Advancement of IPV identification must go beyond a recommendation with greater awareness and education changes at all levels: personal, institutional, and policy.

Detecting a hidden pandemic: The current state and future direction of screening and assessment tools for intimate partner violence-related brain injury

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major global concern, and IPV victim-survivors are at an increased risk of brain injury (BI) due to the physical assaults. IPV-BI can encompass both mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and non-fatal strangulation (NFS), but IPV-BI often goes undetected and untreated due to a number of complicating factors. Therefore, the clinical care and support of IPV victim-survivors could be enhanced by BI screening and assessment in various settings (e.g., first responders, emergency departments, primary care providers, rehabilitation, shelters, and research). Further, appropriate screening and assessment for IPV-BI will support more accurate identifications, and prevalence estimates, improve understanding of health implications, and have the potential to inform policy decisions. Here we overview the seven available tools that have been used for IPV-BI screening and assessment purposes, including the BISA, BISQ-IPV, BAT-L/IPV, OSU TBI-ID, the HELPS, and the CHATS, and outline the advantages and disadvantages of these screening tools in the clinical, community, and research settings. Recommendations for further research to enhance the validity and utility of these tools are also included.

Violence Against Women and Girls in Zimbabwe: A Review of a Decade of the Empirical Literature

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a complex social problem affecting many women globally. In Zimbabwe, intimate partner violence (IPV) and child marriages remain persistent public health problems with detrimental effects on the health and well-being of women and girls. Statistics show that Zimbabwe has one of the highest rates of IPV and child marriage in sub-Saharan Africa. Given this background, this paper systematically reviewed published research on VAWG in Zimbabwe from 2012 to 2022 to identify research gaps. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, we systematically searched for literature across five electronic databases: Web of Science, Medline, Psych-Info via EBSCO-Host, and Google Scholar. Our initial search yielded 261 articles, of which only 45 met our inclusion criteria. We summarized these studies using thematic analysis and performed a quality assessment using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The findings revealed several gaps, including a limited focus on relational and perpetrator perspectives, insufficient attention to other forms of VAWG such as non-partner sexual violence, rape, and trafficking, and a lack of studies on marginalized groups such as people with disabilities, sex workers, and same-sex couples. In addition, there were no longitudinal studies examining trends and dynamics of VAWG over extended periods or comparing different geographical regions. Few studies also focused on the evaluation of interventions. Although significant progress has been made in addressing VAWG, this review underscores the need for more research to fill these gaps for effective and evidence-based policymaking and response strategies.

Examining the measurement of severity of intimate partner violence and its association to mental health outcomes: a narrative synthesis

Introduction

The aims of this synthesis were to investigate the relationship between IPV severity and mental health outcomes and shed light to gaps and limitations in existing methodologies used to assess IPV severity and its association with mental health outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a two-stage narrative synthesis of 76 studies. First, we identified IPV measures used in at least five studies, focusing on their variations and severity score calculation. Then, we analyzed findings of studies correlating IPV severity with mental health outcomes, identifying features of measures and statistical methods influencing result consistency.

Results

Measures of intimate partner violence were often modified from their original, potentially impact on the reliability and validity of these measures. The operationalization of violence severity varied across studies, leading to inconsistencies in scoring whereby compromising the consistency of severity levels across studies. We found lack of consistency in applying validated methods for scoring instruments to determine abuse severity. In this review, we consistently found that the severity of IPV and its various subtypes were linked to different mental health outcomes across multiple studies. We discovered evidence suggesting that experiencing more types of IPV was associated with worse mental health outcomes. Generally, higher levels of overall IPV severity and its specific subtypes were correlated with poorer mental health outcomes. However, our analyses did not reveal consistent patterns that would allow for a definitive determination of how individual IPV subtypes differently affect mental health outcomes. Nevertheless, we observed that increasing severity of physical IPV tended to have a notable impact on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Conversely, increasing severity of psychological IPV was consistently associated with depression. While sexual IPV severity was explored in fewer studies, the evidence regarding its impact on various mental health outcomes was less conclusive.

Discussion

To achieve a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism by which IPV severity is related to mental health it may be time to take an alternative approach to measuring IPV severity. No IPV measures assessed the acceptability of the content to people who have experienced IPV. This is an important omission with significant consequences for the validity of the evidence base.

Lessons Learned from the Experiences of Domestic Violence Service Providers in Times of Crisis: Insights from a Central Asian Country

Domestic violence is a widespread problem in both stable and crisis contexts. During crisis-driven periods, such as environmental, economic, political, and health emergencies, existing gender inequalities are exacerbated, and the risks of violence against women (VAW) are amplified. This qualitative study explores the experiences of professionals working in VAW organisations in a Central Asian country during the COVID-19 pandemic. By interviewing 45 professionals from social care organisations in Kazakhstan, this study aims to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the ability of VAW organisations to assist victims of domestic violence and comprehend the adjustments they made to support victims. The findings shed light on the challenges faced by VAW organisations, including reduced capacity, increased service demand, the shift to remote services, and funding cuts. The study highlights the critical role of these organisations in crises and urges the consideration of lessons learned to prevent VAW in emergency and non-emergency situations. In the Central Asian region, where domestic violence is persistent, this research offers valuable insights for interventions during and after crises. The study offers effective strategies for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5.2, which aims to eliminate violence against women, and SDG 3.8, ensuring access to healthcare, psychological support, and safe environments.

Temporal and spatial convergence: the major depressive disorder burden attributed to intimate partner violence against women

Background: There is a strong causal relationship between intimate partner violence and major depressive disorder, which partly endangers women's safety across the life course and potentially affects the development of future generations. The international community has placed a high priority on addressing the intimate partner violence and the resulting burden of mental illness. Data collection needs to be captured across the temporal trend and spatial distribution for major depressive disorder attributed to intimate partner violence, to reflect the priorities and expectations of survivors.Method: This research obtained raw disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) information for major depressive disorder attributed to intimate partner violence from the Global Burden of Disease 2019. Using estimated annual percentage change and two-way fixed effects models, a secondary spatio-temporal analysis of the age-standardized DALYs rate from 1990 to 2019 was performed.Results: In 2019, DALYs lost among women experiencing major depressive disorder (3.16 million) accounted for 37.18% of the DALYs lost worldwide due to intimate partner violence. The age-standardized DALYs rate of major depressive disorder attributed to intimate partner violence was 108.57 per 100,000. The highest was concentrated in the menopausal transition (45-55), with 133.61 per 100,000, and particularly distributed in Uganda (429.31 per 100,000). The early reproductive period (15-19) showed the increasing age-standardized DALYs rate from 1990 to 2019, which was mainly driven by Malaysia (3.73% per year). Furthermore, countries with higher initial levels of the age-standardized DALYs rate were growing faster than those with lower levels.Conclusions: The burden of major depressive disorder attributed to intimate partner violence showed biological and spatial inequality, prioritized intervention should be targeted at vulnerable stage women in their early reproductive period and menopausal transition. Combined political, socio-cultural as well as medical measures to prevent violence and treat major depressive disorder should be implemented and developed.

Echoes of a living body: A mind-body approach on how women victims of intimate partner violence experience their bodies

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a worldwide health problem. IPV impact on women's embodiment remains embedded in their narratives. However, the subjective complexity of victims' embodiment and its impact on healthcare still urges to be understood. We aimed to understand (i) how women victims of IPV experience their bodies and (ii) the impact of IPV in their embodiment. From a thematic analysis of six interviews with women victims, four themes arouse: Living body, Reaction to adversities, Impact of violence and Identity. Participants revealed a tendency to perceive negative bodily sensations, the body as restrictive of their ability to react to illnesses and other adversities, and impacts on health and decision-making processes. We encourage healthcare providers to be responsive to the feelings of physical and psychological exhaustion experienced by victims and highlight the potential of promoting positive bodily experiences in the support given to women.

Constructing comparable intimate partner violence indicators across the DHS, MICS, and PMA health surveys

We construct comparable indicators that measure the prevalence of recent intimate partner violence (IPV) using publicly available, integrated microdata within the IPUMS data collections across many countries. The objective of this work is to increase opportunities for comparative research by leveraging vast quantities of harmonized data. We use consistent and comparable variables that measure domestic violence in international health surveys. The most consistent indicators of domestic violence measure physical, psychological, and sexual IPV in the last 12 months. We imposed a consistent reference period and restricted to a comparable subpopulation where these differed across surveys. Aggregating IPV variables across surveys, without careful attention to question wording and subpopulations, may produce inconsistent measures leading to bias, over- or under-estimation of IPV prevalence, or spurious trends and associations. Using comparable indicators in microdata and studying the level, distribution, and covariates of IPV in multiple settings over time, we can better understand these phenomena and identify effective policy interventions.

Associations of hair cortisol levels with violence, poor mental health, and harmful alcohol and other substance use among female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya

Violence, poor mental health, and harmful substance use are commonly experienced by female sex workers (FSWs) in sub-Saharan Africa, all of which are associated with increased HIV susceptibility. We aimed to investigate the associations between violence, poor mental health and harmful alcohol/substance use with hair cortisol concentration (HCC) levels as a potential biological pathway linking the experiences of these stressors and HIV vulnerability. We used the baseline data of the Maisha Fiti study of FSWs in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants reported recent violence, poor mental health, and harmful alcohol/substance use. Hair samples proximal to the scalp were collected to measure cortisol levels determined by ELISA. We analysed the data of 425 HIV-negative respondents who provided at least 2 cm of hair sample. The prevalence of recent violence was 89.3% (physical 54.6%; sexual 49.4%; emotional 77.0% and financial 66.5%), and 29.1% had been arrested due to sex work. 23.7% of participants reported moderate/severe depression, 11.6% moderate/severe anxiety, 13.5% PTSD and 10.8% recent suicidal thoughts and/or attempts. About half of the participants (48.8%) reported recent harmful alcohol and/or other substance use. In multivariable linear regression analyses, both physical and/or sexual violence (adjusted geometric mean ratio (aGMR) = 1.28; 95% CI 1.01-1.62) and harmful alcohol and/or other substance use (aGMR = 1.31; 95% CI 1.03-1.65) were positively and independently associated with increased HCC levels. Findings suggest a role of violence and substance use in elevated HCC levels, which could increase HIV risk due to cortisol-related T cell activation. However, longitudinal and mechanistic studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Intimate partner violence and associated factors among women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, intimate partner violence increased globally, but most notably in Africa. Conditions such as movement restrictions, staying home, and school closures increased the risk of domestic violence against women. Intimate partner violence is violence demonstrated by an intimate partner against women including physical, sexual, and psychological violence. Despite existing laws against intimate partner violence in Ethiopia, enforcement by law and the judicial system remains inadequate. Thus, this research aims to identify factors contributing to intimate partner violence among women during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing insights from the current literature.

Method

We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Cochrane, and others. Two reviewers separately carried out the search, study selection, critical appraisal, and data extraction. A third party was involved in resolving disagreements among the reviewers. All 10 studies included in this study were published in English, with publication dates before 25 February 2024. Articles lacking an abstract and/or full-text, studies that did not identify the intended outcome, and qualitative studies were excluded from the analysis. A Microsoft Excel checklist was used to extract the data, which were then exported to STATA 11. I 2, funnel plots, and Egger's test were employed to measure heterogeneity and detect publication bias, respectively. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of intimate partner violence and associated factors among women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Result

The meta-analysis includes a sample size of 6,280 women from 10 articles. The pooled prevalence of intimate partner violence and associated factors among women during the COVID-19 pandemic was found to be 31.60% (95% CI: 21.10-42.11) and significant factors were partner alcohol use with a pooled odds ratio of 1.93 (95% CI: 1.60-2.23), income loss during the COVID-19 pandemic with a pooled odds ratio of 9.86 (95% CI: 6.35-15.70), partner's literacy level/education status with a pooled odds ratio of 2.03 (95% CI: 1.57-2.63), and decision-making in the household with a pooled odds ratio of 1.82 (95% CI: 1.33-2.50).

Conclusion

This systematic review and meta-analysis found preliminary evidence that intimate partner violence increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. A partner who has a history of alcohol use, women who had lost income during COVID-19, a partner who has no formal education, and household decisions made by the husband alone were statistically significant factors for intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. This implies that the health sector must play a significant role in providing women who are victims of violence with comprehensive healthcare, advocating that violence against women should be viewed as unacceptable, and improving literacy to minimize the consequences of intimate partner violence among women.

Preventing violence and enhancing mental health among clients of an invitro fertilization clinic in Jordan: results of a pre/post pilot test of the use of cognitive behavioral therapy

INTRODUCTION

Infertility increases women's risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is commonly used to treat mental health problems among fertility treatment seeking patients. CBT has not been tested for its potential to reduce IPV in this population. We pilot test the use of CBT to prevent IPV and improve patients' mental health in a fertility clinic in Jordan.

METHODS

Of 38 eligible fertility-treatment seeking couples, 16 consented and underwent up to 11 CBT sessions (average = 9) over 3 months. Interviews at baseline and 16 weeks post intervention (endline) assessed IPV, quality of life, social support, coping, and fear of spouse. Wilcoxon signed-rank and McNemar's tests were used to assess change in outcomes.

RESULTS

At baseline, women's rates of IPV, depression, and anxiety were 75%, 87.5%, and 75% respectively, whereas men's rates of depression and anxiety were each 80%. Average baseline post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms for men and women were 3.3 and 2.7 respectively out of 5. IPV decreased 25% after treatment, and women reported less spousal fear. For both men and women, depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms decreased and social support and fertility quality of life improved.

CONCLUSION

Psychosocial support should be standard of care for the treatment of infertility given the burden of mental health problems and IPV and the utility of CBT in this patient population. Co-design with couples is needed to identify strategies to bolster participation along with population-based interventions to combat the stigma of infertility and mental health service use and enhance women's status.

"It is like a curse". The lived experiences of the intersection of intergenerational violence, pregnancy, and intimate partner violence among urban Wisconsin Indigenous women

BACKGROUND

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern that disproportionately impacts Indigenous American women more than any other ethnic/racial group in the United States.

PURPOSE

This study aims to inform the work of nurses and allied health professionals by providing insight into the lived realities of Indigenous women in urban areas and how IPV manifests in the lives of Indigenous women.

METHODS

Postcolonial and Indigenous feminist frameworks informed this qualitative study. Using thematic analysis, we analyzed data from semi-structured individual interviews with 34 Indigenous women in large urban areas in the upper Midwest.

FINDINGS

This manuscript discusses one broad theme: experiences of IPV during pregnancy and the devastating impacts on women and their children in the form of intergenerational trauma. Under this broad theme, we identified two sub-themes: impacts of IPV on individual pregnancy experiences and linkages to adverse pregnancy-related outcomes related to physical IPV during the childbearing years.

CONCLUSION

This Indigenous-led study informs the development of effective Indigenous-specific interventions to minimize barriers to accessing prenatal care and help-seeking when experiencing IPV to reduce the devastating consequences for Indigenous women and their families.

The use of Open Dialogue in Trauma Informed Care services for mental health consumers and their family networks: A scoping review

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Open Dialogue was developed in Finland in the 1980s by clinical psychologist, Jaakko Seikkula. It is a development of family therapy, recognises previous trauma and has proven to be very effective in situations of acute mental illness, and in particular psychosis. Trauma Informed Care is a practice based on the understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma. When people have experienced trauma, they may have difficulties in their everyday life and experience negative physical health outcomes as well as the risk of developing mental ill health. Open Dialogue is aligned to mental health care which aims to be trauma-informed, person-centred and rights-based. Examples exist of the use of both approaches for service delivery with limited evaluation. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: To our knowledge, no formal evaluation has been made of the use of open dialogue as a Trauma Informed therapy approach to support individuals and their family networks. Although both approaches recognise the impact of trauma on individuals, no study has explored the effectiveness of this treatment combination for use by mental health nurses. This review is timely as it provides insights into contemporary services that are trauma informed and have used Open Dialogue to extend therapy work with individuals and their family/networks. This scoping review was able to determine whether recommendations for clinical practice and training in Open Dialogue with Trauma Informed Care approaches could be identified. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: This review provided a broad overview on the current types of trauma-informed care services incorporating Open Dialogue approaches into their practice. The literature, though sparce, identifies that Trauma Informed Care recognises multiple origins for mental ill health. Open dialogue has an affinity with the common values of mental health nurses. As combined therapies, they are demonstrating usefulness in engaging families and people in their journey towards recovery. Rigid adherence to Open Dialogue focus and delivery as well as training practices could be revised to make them more open to what people and their families wish to discuss. The person with mental ill health and previous trauma should be able to direct the narrative. Trauma Informed Practice principles could be adapted to improve consumer satisfaction with Open Dialogue approaches.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: A large proportion of people who access mental health services have a lived experienced of trauma and are more likely to have a history of complex trauma. Open Dialogue and Trauma Informed Care practices identify previous trauma as a factor related to later psychosis. This scoping review has identified similarities and contrasts in how an Open Dialogue and Trauma Informed Care approach have been combined to complement one another for clinical work with people presenting with psychosis and previous trauma.

AIM

We aimed to answer the following research question in this scoping review: What is known of the combined use of Open Dialogue and Trauma Informed Care practice when working with consumers and their family networks? As such, the purpose of this paper was to explore the application to practice and identify if any training existed and been evaluated.

METHOD

This scoping review was based on the Arksey and O'Malley's framework. A comprehensive search was performed across five electronic databases. Grey literature was also searched through Psyche Info and Google Scholar for books, Dissertation and Theses, alongside hand searching of the reference of the studies. Articles searched was from January 2013 to January 2023.

RESULTS

Five distinct themes were identified from the literature: (1) Linking open dialogue with trauma, (2) Response to treatment, (3) Empowerment and information sharing, (4) Interpretation by clinical services, (5) Staff training outcomes.

DISCUSSION

Some tentative recommendations for practice recognised the individuals' unique story and perspective, suggested that trauma is an important concept to assess. Services practising as Trauma Informed Services that have incorporated an Open Dialogue approach have mixed experiences. The use of Open Dialogue may have some benefits for family work and exploring consumer narratives while building a network of support. However, consumers identified similar frustrations with service delivery as with the family therapy literature. For example, it was difficult to bring family members together and difficult to discuss previous traumatic events in front of family. People experiencing training in Open Dialogue reported it taking a slow pace and not what they were familiar with.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Open Dialogue can facilitate engagement of consumers and their family networks and greater recognition of the peer workforce to promote collaboration in therapy is needed. Future research should also focus on evaluating the effectiveness of such services and comparing their outcomes across regions.

Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on Cyberabuse, Sexual Aggression, and Intimate Partner Violence Among U.S. Young Adults

Quarantine guidelines that arose with the COVID-19 pandemic limited opportunities for social interaction, raising concerns about increases in intimate partner violence and cyberabuse while simultaneously restricting access to help. The current study assessed increases in cyberabuse, sexual aggression, and intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in a U.S. nationally representative sample of young adults ages 18 to 35, recruited from a probability-based household panel. Data were collected between November 2020 and May 2021. Descriptive analyses were conducted to assess the prevalence of any self-reported increase in cyberabuse, sexual aggression, or intimate partner victimization or perpetration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Logistic regression models were run for each outcome measuring any increase compared to no increase. Approximately one in ten U.S. young adults ages 18 to 35 reported experiencing an increase in cyberabuse victimization (12.6%) and cyberabuse perpetration (8.9%) during the pandemic. Similar proportions were observed for increased sexual aggression victimization (11.8%) and perpetration (9.0%). More than one in five respondents (21.4%) reported that their intimate partner was more physically, sexually, or emotionally aggressive toward them during the pandemic. Conversely, 16.2% of respondents reported that they were more physically, sexually, or emotionally aggressive themselves toward an intimate partner, compared to their behavior before the onset of the pandemic. Having an intimate partner and staying at home more than usual during the pandemic were protective factors for both cyberabuse and sexual aggression victimization. Respondent age, education, and race and ethnicity were not associated with increased victimization or perpetration of cyberabuse or sexual aggression. However, women reported lower odds of increased sexual aggression perpetration than men. These findings improve understanding of changes to interpersonal abuse and associated risk factors during a period of social disruption.

Characterizing Possible Acute Brain Injury in Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: A Retrospective Chart Review

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) often experience violent blows to the head, face, and neck and/or strangulation that result in brain injury (BI). Researchers reviewed the de-identified forensic nursing examination records of 205 women. More than 88% of women were subjected to multiple mechanisms of injury with in excess of 60% experiencing strangulation. About 31% disclosed various symptoms consistent with BI. Women experiencing strangulation were 2.24 times more likely to report BI-related symptoms compared to those who reported no strangulation. In conclusion, women experiencing IPV are prone to BI suggesting early screening and appropriate management are warranted.

What do we know about how children and adolescents conceptualise violence? A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies from sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND

Half of the world's children experience violence every year, but the meaning of violence is not universally agreed. We may therefore risk failing to measure, and address, the acts that matter most to children and adolescents. In this paper, we describe and synthesise evidence on how children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa conceptualise different behavioural acts which are deemed violence in childhood under WHO and UN CRC definitions.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies. We searched PsychINFO, CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, Medline and ERIC for all publications released prior to March 2023. 30 papers met inclusion criteria. We synthesised primary data from children and adolescents and drew upon theoretical and contextual interpretations of authors of included studies. Only 12 of more than 45 sub-Saharan African countries were represented with relevant research. Of the 30 included papers, 25 came from three countries: South Africa, Uganda and Ghana. Only 10 of 30 papers reported data from young children (pre-adolescence), and 18 of 30 papers primarily focused on sexual violence. 14 studies used child friendly and/or participatory methods. From this limited evidence, we identified six overarching themes in how children and adolescents conceptualised their experiences of acts internationally recognised as violence: 1) adults abusing or neglecting responsibility; 2) sexual violence from peers, family and community members; 3) violence in established intimate relationships; 4) emotional violence surrounding sex from peers and community members; 5) fighting and beating between peers; 6) street and community dangers. No studies meeting our inclusion criteria specifically examined children or adolescents' conceptualisations of homophobic or transphobic violence; violence against children with disabilities; boys' experiences of sexual violence from male perpetrators; trafficking, modern slavery or conflict; child labour; or female genital mutilation. We found that three dimensions were important in how children and adolescents constructed conceptualisations of violence: their age, relationship to the perpetrator, and the physical location of acts they had experienced. These dimensions were interrelated and gendered.

CONCLUSION

The current limited evidence base suggests children and adolescents' conceptualisations of violence overlapped with, but were also distinct from, the WHO and UNCRC definitions of violence. Currently international survey tools focus on measuring types and frequencies of particular acts and neglect to focus on children's understandings of those acts. Relationship to perpetrator, age of child, physical location are all important in how children conceptualise their experiences of acts internationally recognised as violence, and therefore might be important for their health and social outcomes. Those developing measures should account for these dimensions when developing items for testing.

Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Latin America: A Systematic Review

Attitudes toward intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) are being increasingly recognized as a central issue for comprehensively understanding this complex phenomenon. While IPVAW remains widespread in Latin America, knowledge about it and research on attitudes toward IPVAW are limited. This systematic review synthesized quantitative peer-reviewed studies that address attitudes toward IPVAW in Latin America. The review was conducted between April 2020 and July 2022 in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations using the Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases. In total, 52 of the 149 eligible articles were selected based on the inclusion criteria. Four sets of attitudes toward IPVAW were identified: legitimacy, acceptability, attitudes toward the intervention, and perceived severity. Attitude correlates were the most common research topic in more than half of the studies but were generally focused on a single country. Among the few multi-country studies, the sample of Latin American countries was small. The remaining studies were divided into three research themes: attitude as a predictor, interventions for attitude change, and scale validation. Our study aims to motivate future research on the identified knowledge gaps and may be useful for the implementation of appropriate prevention policies and intervention programs to counter IPVAW on a regional scale.

Worldwide Perinatal Intimate Partner Violence Prevalence and Risk Factors for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women who have experienced perinatal intimate partner violence (P-IPV) has gradually attracted the attention of psychologists, mental health, and health care professionals. However, a comprehensive understanding of its prevalence and associated risk factors is still lacking. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the prevalence and explore influencing factors for PTSD in women who have suffered P-IPV. Our study inclusion criteria were: women who experienced IPV in the year before conception, throughout pregnancy, during delivery, and up to 1 year after giving birth for which a quantitative assessment of PTSD was done using validated diagnostic or screening tools. This study searched nine English databases and four Chinese databases. The final analysis included 16 studies, involving 9,098 female subjects. Meta-analysis was performed on the extracted data using the Stata 16.0 software (Stata Corp. LP, College Station, TX, USA).Fixed or random effect models were selected to pool odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of PTSD after heterogeneity test. Meta-analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of PTSD in women who suffered P-IPV was 30.0% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = [22.0%, 37.0%]). Only nine studies described influencing factors for PTSD based on multivariate logistic regression analysis. The five identified influencing factors were: non-immigrants (OR = 2.56; 95% CI [1.29, 5.08]), non-cohabitation (OR = 2.45; [1.35, 4.42]), trauma history (OR = 1.80; [1.18, 2.76]), education below senior high school (OR = 1.32; [0.64, 2.75]), and age 18 to 29 years (OR = 1.06; [0.94, 1.19]). These findings provided a reference value of PTSD prevalence, risk factors, and potential association with P-IPV among women worldwide. However, the geographical coverage of the reviewed studies is limited and epidemiological investigations from more diverse areas are required in the future.