Journal article
Is anybody out there? Tackling intimate partner violence as a hidden pandemic during COVID times and beyond: factors, impact, and recommendations, a systematic review and meta-analyses
Archives of Women's Mental Health, Vol.29, pp.1-14
2026
PMID: 41545629
Abstract
Purpose
Intimate partner violence is a pervasive issue deeply affecting public health, and its escalation during the COVID-19 pandemic has raised serious concerns. While the escalating impact of intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely acknowledged, there remains a need for a comprehensive systematic review that synthesizes existing literature. This review seeks to address this gap by providing an inclusive assessment of the global landscape of intimate partner violence during and after the pandemic, thereby informing more effective prevention and intervention strategies.
Methods
A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases using different MeSH terms. A total of 445 relevant articles were identified initially, and after thorough screening, 54 articles were included in the review.
Results
The lockdown had several negative consequences, including job losses, economic vulnerability, and health issues due to prolonged loneliness and uncertainty. An increase in emergency hotline or Women’s Helpline calls was observed. Globally, intimate partner violence surged during the lockdown and persisted into 2023, causing severe and lasting health, psychological, and reproductive consequences for victims. Our results showed that COVID-19 increased the risk of partner violence: post-COVID intimate partner violence risk greater than pre-COVID risk (0.33 vs. 0.28, respectively).
Conclusion
Although COVID-19 increased the risk of intimate partner violence, this review also stresses a high global prevalence of intimate partner violence, not restricted to the pandemic and lockdowns. To prevent partner violence and reduce long-lasting severe health, psychological, and reproductive consequences of partner violence, broad cooperation between governments, communities, health professionals, and the media is necessary.
Details
- Title
- Is anybody out there? Tackling intimate partner violence as a hidden pandemic during COVID times and beyond: factors, impact, and recommendations, a systematic review and meta-analyses
- Authors
- Petra Heidler - IMC University of Applied Sciences KremsLisa Dam - IT-Services der Sozialversicherung GmbH (Austria)Isabel King - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of HealthNouran Hamza - Medical Agency for Research and Statistics (United Kingdom)Marwa Muhammed Abdeljawad (Corresponding Author) - Medical Agency for Research and Statistics (United Kingdom)Dina Alaraby - Medical Agency for Research and Statistics (United Kingdom)Mochammad Fahlevi - Curtin UniversityTeemor Anjum - Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture UniversityRoy Rillera Marzo - Curtin UniversityMichael Wagner - Medical Agency for Research and Statistics (United Kingdom)Sudip Bhattacharya - All India Institute of Medical Sciences, DeogharPriyanka Chahal - Harvard Medical School
- Publication details
- Archives of Women's Mental Health, Vol.29, pp.1-14
- Publisher
- Springer Wien
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00737-025-01667-x
- ISSN
- 1435-1102
- PMID
- 41545629
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991206279002621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
11 Record Views
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychiatry
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Source: SDGs from InCites