The Prevalence of Domestic Violence in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract

Context: Violence is defined as behavior aimed at harming another person, resulting in physical, sexual, or psychological damage. Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the prevalence of domestic violence in Iran. Methods: Persian and English articles were searched in the MagIran, SID, Google Scholar, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PubMed databases using keywords such as domestic violence, prevalence, spousal abuse, Iran, physical violence, mental violence, and sexual violence. After screening 725 studies, 47 eligible studies were included in the analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of violence against Iranian women was found to be 59%. The highest prevalence of violence against women was observed in region 3 (66%) and region 1 (63%). The prevalence of violence against pregnant women was 61%, while it was 58% for non-pregnant women. The prevalence of physical violence was 25%, mental violence was 50%, and sexual violence was 20%. Studies that used standard and researcher-made tools reported a prevalence of violence against women of 60% and 58%, respectively. Conclusions: Violence can lead to chronic and destructive diseases. Domestic violence is more prevalent in African, Asian, and South American countries than in European and American countries. Education, level of awareness, and financial independence are related to violence. Therefore, policymakers should focus on improving awareness, educational opportunities, and financial independence to reduce domestic violence.