The prevalence of intimate partner violence against women with disabilities: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Purpose

Although systematic reviews have already been conducted on violence and disability, the evidence is not conclusive in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This study examined the prevalence of IPV in women with disabilities, taking account of the different types of violence and disability.

Methods

We performed a search in five databases. We included observational studies that analysed the frequency of IPV in women with disabilities compared to women without. Two independent reviewers selected and assessed studies. We made a qualitative synthesis according to the type of IPV analysed in relation to disability.

Results

We identified 26 articles. The frequency and risk of IPV were greater in women with disabilities than in those without. All of the articles that studied financial violence, 81.3% of those that studied physical violence, 78.5% of those that studied psychological violence, 75% of those that studied physical/sexual violence, 73.3% of those that studied sexual violence and 50% of those that studied any type of violence found a significant association whit disability.

Conclusions

Women with disabilities are at higher risk of IPV. Rehabilitation centers and its professionals must have a leading role in the identification of these situations and this should be considered in IPV prevention plans.

Implications for rehabilitation

• People with disabilities are at higher risk of multiple types of violence.

• Violence against women with disabilities therefore involves two public health issues interacting simultaneously.

• Rehabilitation centers and its professionals should have a leading role in the identification of IPV in women with disabilities.

• IPV prevention plans should consider rehabilitation centers and its professionals as a main component of interventions in women with disabilities.

Keywords:

• Disability
• impairment
• activity limitation
• intimate partner violence
• women
• gender-based violence
• systematic review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This article received support from the CIBERESP. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.