Previous reviews of the effectiveness of intimate partner violence (IPV) programmes have shown mixed results. A systematic review with narrative synthesis was conducted to understand the methodological challenges in determining the effectiveness of IPV perpetrator programmes. A two-stage search strategy was employed. Firstly, a systematic search was conducted across six electronic databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Global Health, ASSIA, and Web of Science to identify systematic reviews exploring the effectiveness of interventions for IPV perpetrators. Secondly, primary studies from selected reviews were screened for inclusion. In total, 508 full-text manuscripts from 38 reviews were assessed against eligibility criteria. Twenty-six randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this review. Methodological issues included the following: (1) short-term follow-up; (2) an over-reliance on perpetrator self-reported (physical) IPV outcomes with few studies collecting collateral victim IPV reports; (3) a lack of data presented on attendance and completion rates; and (4) changes in partners or having more than one partner were not considered in the methods or analysis. Perpetrators may under-report their abusive behaviour. No RCTs accounted for changes in relationship status nor reported on outcomes for new or multiple partners, potentially underestimating IPV recidivism as a result. Future evaluations of IPV perpetrator programmes should collect victim and perpetrator self-reported outcomes of different types of IPV victimisation and perpetration, respectively, alongside official re-offence data over the longer term. Evaluations should present data on treatment completion and dose response to enhance our understanding of what works for whom and to examine outcomes for new or multiple partners.

Sexual minority men (SMM) disproportionately experience intimate partner violence (IPV) compared to heterosexual couples. This stressful situation intersects with the minority stress inevitably faced by SMM, leading to negative mental and behavioral consequences. Therefore, the aims of this study are to (1) characterize the IPV experience among SMM, (2) identify the relationship between IPV and marijuana use, and (3) explore the path from SMM's IPV experience to marijuana use through anxiety (i.e., social phobia, generalized anxiety). This study included 160 SMM who were recruited in June 2020 through geospatial networking applications and who responded to all questions in the study model. A parallel mediation model was used to test the indirect effects of social phobia and generalized anxiety on the relationship between IPV victimization and marijuana use. Our study confirmed the high experience rate of overall IPV, along with the high rate of the type of IPV specific to SMM. The results of the study model identified that the level of IPV experiences is positively associated with social phobia, generalized anxiety, and marijuana use. In addition, generalized anxiety may partially mediate the relationship between IPV and marijuana use. While the health consequences of marijuana use are still being investigated, our model focused on this outcome as a type of disengagement coping strategy. These findings further suggest future research to help us better understand IPV experience and marijuana use in SMM, and build evidence for the need for tailored interventions to mitigate the relationship between SMM's IPV experience and marijuana use.

ABSTRACT Men’s experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV), particularly how men interpret and make sense of these experiences, remain underexamined in research and practice. To address this gap, the present study analyzed open-ended responses from 247 racially and ethnically diverse men living in the United States whose descriptions of IPV victimization by female partners extended beyond discrete acts of abuse. Reflexive thematic analysis identified six interconnected themes: unhealthy relational dynamics, consequences of abuse, reflections on the relationship, intentional withholding of information, defending the partner’s behavior, and broader concerns. Together, these findings illuminate how men across racial and ethnic groups understand and narrate their IPV experiences within broader relational and psychological contexts, highlighting processes that can inform future research, trauma-informed practice, and interventions for male IPV victims.

The study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among Arab women in Israel. This study used social-ecological theory and attachment theory as frameworks to predict the likelihood of women's IPV victimization. In addition, the study examined several sociodemographic factors, adult romantic attachment, and two forms of childhood maltreatment (i.e., experiencing parental violence and witnessing interparental violence) as possible predictors of women's IPV victimization. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a community sample of 303 married Arab women (Mage = 31.8, SD = 6.1) using a self-administered questionnaire. During their marriage, approximately 75% of women reported experiencing some form of IPV victimization, while 65.7% indicated such experiences in the year leading up to the study. The findings from the multivariate logistic regression analyses indicate that women's higher level of education was associated with a lower risk of IPV victimization. The results also revealed a lower risk for psychological IPV victimization among women with employed husbands. Furthermore, low household income was significantly associated with women's physical IPV but not psychological IPV victimization. Conversely, women's attachment insecurities and experiences of childhood maltreatment increased the risk of IPV victimization. These findings emphasize the need to proactively address IPV victimization and its associated risk factors among Arab women across various cultural contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Coping and psychological outcomes of male victims of intimate partner violence: A systematic review.

Cognitive factors are recognised as critical risk factors for violence within romantic relationships. In the current paper, we systematically reviewed and qualitatively synthesised findings from the 17 studies published in the last two years that have examined the association between cognitions and the perpetration and victimisation of intimate partner and sexual violence. We found that the literature on perpetration and victimisation diverged, with studies on perpetration being dominated by investigations into aggression-supportive and gender beliefs, whilst studies on victimisation tended to focus on beliefs relating to negative evaluations and beliefs about the self and others. Examining self-other beliefs in the context of perpetration could provide important insights into the cognitive factors underpinning violent behaviours against romantic partners.

BackgroundFew studies have explored the effectiveness of the Community-Based Approach (CBA) on the reduction of intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure and its outcomes in Rwanda. This study, therefore, aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the Community-Based Approach (CBA) for IPV victimisation and perpetration as well as its associated mental health outcomes in Rwanda.MethodsA randomised controlled trial was conducted on a sample of 32 couples, with 17 couples assigned in treatment group and 15 assigned in control group. Data analyses were computed using mixed ANOVAs to evaluate the effect of CBA over IPV occurrence and mental health outcomes.ResultsThe results revealed a noticeable difference across the time points for IPV, anxiety, and depression, while the difference was not significant for PTSD. All variables showed a significant difference between groups, including IPV, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Additionally, there was a meaningful interaction between time and group for IPV, anxiety, and depression. A similar interaction was also observed between time and sex for both anxiety and depression. Notably, both males’ and females' IPV scores decreased to nearly the same level, while anxiety and depression scores declined more in females than in males.ConclusionOur findings highlight substantial efficacy of CBA for victims and perpetrators of IPV in reducing IPV, anxiety and depression symptoms in Rwanda, a post-genocide country. Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2026;9(1):7-24

Understanding the population distribution and dynamics of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is necessary for designing effective prevention strategies and informing public health responses. While general population health surveys are widely used to estimate the prevalence and burden of IPV victimisation, the extent to which they capture IPV perpetration is under-explored. This review systematically identified and assessed general population health surveys measuring IPV perpetration, focusing on their methodological and measurement approaches. Searches of four electronic databases identified 39 papers reporting on 27 survey data sources. Five broad categories of measurement tools are described: survey data sources using or adapting the UN Multi-Country Study; the 2005 WHO research tool for violence against women and girls; the Conflicts Tactics Scale (CTS) and its subsequent versions, and two categories of ad hoc measures (with either more than two items, or one or two items). Substantial variation was found in the measurement of forms of IPV perpetration measured, particularly in the inclusion of non-physical forms, the use of frequency and reference periods, and the assessment of harm. Most surveys did not collect information on the sex or number of victims, escalation, or repeat perpetration, and few described item development or validation. Improved and standardised measurement of IPV perpetration in general population health surveys is essential to strengthen the evidence base and inform effective prevention strategies, service responses, and public policy.

This systematic review sought to synthesize stakeholder perspectives relating to benefits, risks, and recommendations for using restorative justice (RJ) practices in cases of intimate partner violence (IPV). The review identified 16 articles containing the perspectives of IPV victims and relevant stakeholders, including RJ facilitators, judges, victim advocates, and IPV experts on the perceived benefits, risks, and recommendations for use of RJ practices for IPV. The results highlight a range of potential benefits afforded to IPV victims through their participation in RJ processes; however, inherent risks are identified, which may limit the utility of RJ in IPV cases and undermine potential benefits. Benefits included increasing victim voice and empowerment, addressing needs and providing greater support for victims, and supporting relationships between victims and perpetrators. Risks included the risk of power imbalances between victims and perpetrators, retraumatization of victims, and RJ delivered by unskilled facilitators who fail to provide adequate care and information to victims. Recommendations captured in the review may help mitigate risks and increase positive outcomes for victims.

ABSTRACT This article investigates whether state efforts to combat violence against women (VAW) shape personally held stigmatizing attitudes toward victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) and views of the stigma society attributes to them. Drawing on the policy feedback effect and source cues literature, we argue that credible sources delivering messages about anti-VAW laws can reduce stigmatizing attitudes toward IPV victims and persuade people that society is more welcoming to victims, thereby reducing public stigma. Using survey experiments collected from Mexico and Guatemala, we find that credible sources matter in predicting a host of attitudes related to personally held and public stigma toward victims, but these effects are conditional on gender and hostile sexism. This article demonstrates that even in contexts of impunity, state efforts can positively shape social norms on VAW.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is associated with suicidal behaviour. Suicidal behaviour may also be raised among those who perpetrate IPV compared to those who do not; general population-based evidence is, however, lacking. We aimed to investigate the associations between using violence against an intimate partner with suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt and non-suicidal self-harm in the past year. We analysed data from the 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. Logistic regressions estimated associations between IPV perpetration and suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. Associations were estimated for men and women separately, and we explored interaction in estimates by IPV victimization. After adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic covariates, lifetime IPV perpetration was strongly associated with past-year suicide attempt (men: odds ratio [OR] 3.6, 95% confidence interval 1.0-13.2, women: OR 4.2, 1.9-9.4), suicidal ideation (men: OR 2.7, 1.5-4.9, women: OR 2.6, 1.7-4.1) and self-harm (men: OR 4.9, 1.5-15.2, women: OR 3.3, 1.8-6.0). Estimates were substantially attenuated with adjustment for non-IPV life adversities, hazardous alcohol use, drug use and IPV victimization. Only the association with lifetime suicide attempt in women remained significant (OR 1.6, 1.1-2.3). Estimates were generally higher among those who had not experienced IPV victimization, although we found no evidence for interaction by IPV victimization on the association between IPV perpetration and suicidal behaviour. There were greater odds of suicidality and self-harm among self-reported perpetrators of IPV compared to the general population. Many of these associations were accounted for by non-IPV life adversities, IPV victimization and substance use. Improving the identification and management of IPV perpetration, and developing targeted safety planning and interventions for this group could reduce suicide for perpetrators and victims of IPV.

This research aims to develop a novel domestic abuse risk assessment tool, called Lizzy, for predicting the repeat victimisation of German female victims of physical intimate partner violence. Our approach includes actuarial and machine learning techniques based on data from a longitudinal online survey with a nationally representative sample of 3878 respondents (July to November 2023). Four algorithms were employed: CatBoost, XGBoost, Logistic Regression, and Random Forest. Logistic regression performed best with an accuracy of 0.82 and Area Under the Curve of 0.85. We find that predictors covering multiple dimensions of abuse, including physical abuse as well as economic, digital, and emotional abuse, contribute to model performance.

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) experience significant psychological consequences including high rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. A history of child maltreatment (CM) is also prevalent among IPV survivors and has been identified as a significant risk factor for suicide. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms have been proposed as a mechanism by which CM leads to suicide risk; however, this association has yet to be evaluated in IPV survivors. In the current study, we tested whether CM was associated with suicide risk among IPV survivors and whether this association was statistically explained by PTSD symptoms. A total of 122 adult survivors of IPV completed a survey containing measures of CM, IPV victimization experiences, PTSD symptoms, and suicide risk. Five mediation analyses examined direct and indirect effects of each type of CM (i.e., physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect) on suicide risk. Across all models, IPV victimization was associated with greater PTSD symptoms. All abuse subtypes of CM were associated with greater PTSD symptoms while the neglect subtypes of CM were not associated with PTSD symptoms. There was no direct effect of any type of CM on suicide risk; however, we found that greater experiences of childhood emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse were associated with greater suicide risk via greater PTSD symptoms. These findings can be used to better understand responses to CM and IPV and identify pathways leading to suicide, which is essential for developing targeted interventions that correspond with risk profiles.

Supplemental Material for Maternal Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Mother-Perpetrated Child Maltreatment: Differential Patterns, Risk Factors, and Child Behavioral Regulation

Past research found depression, substance use, and intimate partner violence (IPV) to be prevalent among sexual minority men (SMM) and noted on their synergistic relationship, based on the syndemic framework. In exploration of potential mechanisms, we examined depression as a predictor of future IPV experiences, with substance use as a mediator. We used three timepoints of longitudinal data (baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up) of 500 SMM from the US. Directionality between IPV experiences and depressive symptoms was assessed using cross-lagged panel modeling across three timepoints. Then we used linear and generalized structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the associations between depressive symptoms from baseline to 6-month follow-up and IPV experiences at 12-month follow-up with mediation via substance use at 6-month follow-up. For generalized SEM models, depressive symptoms were categorized as no symptoms, intermittent, and chronic. All SEM models adjusted for corresponding baseline IPV experiences and sociodemographic characteristics. Prevalence of any experiences of IPV at 12-month was 25.5% for victimization and 17.9% for perpetration. Chronic depressive symptoms were directly associated with any experiences of both IPV victimization and perpetration, with no evidence of mediation through substance use. Conversely, substance use fully mediated the association between intermittent depressive symptoms and IPV victimization. These findings suggest that IPV prevention programs for SMM should incorporate strategies to address mental health and its coping mechanisms, including substance use. There is a need for greater investment towards raising awareness and development of syndemic-focused interventions to address multiple, co-occurring health challenges among SMM.

The bi-directional link between mental health problems and intimate partner violence (IPV) is well established, yet there is a lack of prevention approaches directly targeting both during adolescence. This study conducted a mixed-methods pilot evaluation of the Prevention Program for Adolescent Relationship and Emotional Development (PREPARED), a weekly, six-session, non-specialist delivered, prevention program to promote mental health and prevent IPV. This proof-of-concept study tested implementation outcomes and measured mental health and relationship attitude and behavior changes among adolescents in rural Kenya. PREPARED was piloted with 46 adolescents aged 14–17 (M = 15.47, SD = 1.1) over six weeks. Each session was designed to last approximately two hours, totaling 12 h. Two implementation settings were tested to reach youth enrolled in secondary school (N = 22) and youth not enrolled in school (N = 24). Young adult non-specialist providers (N = 10) were trained to deliver the intervention. Implementation outcomes were assessed at the participant and facilitator levels through surveys, tracking, and qualitative focus group discussions (FGDs). Adolescent participants completed pre-post surveys (immediately before and following the intervention) and endline FGDs to assess changes in mental health and relationship attitudes and behaviors. Participant and facilitator implementation results suggest PREPARED is feasible, acceptable, appropriate, adopted, and accessible in both school and community settings. On average, youth attended 5.5 sessions out of 6; 75% attended all 6. Providers facilitated the intervention with high fidelity (M = 97.8%). Tests of preliminary effectiveness revealed promising, though modest, changes in mental health outcomes and greater agreement with positive approaches to sexual relationships. We did not observe changes in disagreement with male-perpetrated violence in the overall sample. Among adolescents in the same dating relationship throughout the intervention (N = 20), communication in dating relationships improved and shared decision-making increased. There were no substantial changes in reported IPV victimization and perpetration immediately post-intervention. Our study supports the feasibility and acceptability of a novel non-specialist peer-provided mental health and IPV combined prevention intervention in a low-resource setting. The study also provides preliminary positive pre-post signals of change in mental health outcomes and some relationship-related processes, but no immediate change in IPV victimization and perpetration. Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3H6XT).

The present research examines laypeople's social perception of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). We explored how women's moral judgments of a female IPV victim impact psychological and social distancing. Across two experiments, participants read a scenario where the victim admitted or denied infidelity. When she admitted betrayal, participants judged her as less moral, leading to psychologically distance themselves from the victim by judging her as less prototypical of the women as a group and to keep her at a distance. Findings highlight the role of moral evaluations in shaping IPV perceptions, offering insights for educational campaigns addressing victim blaming.

The Cumulative Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Over the Life Course: Comparisons Across Gender and Sexual Orientation

Sexual minority men (SMM)'s experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) are a unique and understudied area of study, especially with regard to financial dependence. We explored how power imbalances within couples are associated with IPV victimization and perpetration among SMM, specifically with regard to relationship power dynamics in daily decision-making in couples and financial dependence. Of 423 participants, 33.8% reported experiencing IPV victimization (repeated:21.0%) and 24.3% reported perpetrating IPV (repeated:14.9%). Repeated IPV perpetration was more prevalent among participants who held more power in daily decision-making, while those with partners with greater power were more likely to experience IPV victimization at least once. On the other hand, any type of financial dependence, whether one-way or mutual, was associated with higher likelihood of both IPV victimization and perpetration, challenging assumptions that only dependence on a partner is associated with IPV victimization. These results highlight the critical role of relationship power dynamics and financial dependence in shaping IPV risk among SMM. Our findings underscore the need for more nuanced approaches to understanding economic dynamics in SMM relationships and for public health and clinical strategies that address the complex intersections of power dynamics, financial dependence and IPV.

Characteristics of women who have abortions between 14 and 16 weeks of pregnancy