Factors and Characteristics of Women Who Perpetrate Violence Against Men in Intimate Partner Relationships: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to analyze the available scientific evidence regarding the factors and characteristics associated with violence perpetrated by women against men in heterosexual intimate partner relationships.

Methods: A scoping systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The search was carried out between May and June 2024 in the databases Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Original peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2024 in open access were included if they addressed associated factors, types of violence, and men’s victimization experiences in heterosexual relationships. Studies involving adolescents, populations with psychiatric diagnoses, or contexts of drug and alcohol abuse were excluded.

Results: From an initial pool of 380 records, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. Psychological violence was reported in 100% of the cases, followed by physical violence (92.3%) and sexual violence (80.8%). In contrast, legal and reputational violence appeared in 46.2% of the studies, while economic violence was the least frequent (42.3%). Europe concentrated the largest number of investigations (n=11), followed by Africa (n=6), the Americas (n=5), Asia (n=3), and Oceania (n=1). Associated factors included childhood trauma, alcohol consumption, power dynamics, and cultural stigmas that hindered reporting and access to support.

Conclusions: The findings demonstrated the need to develop culturally sensitive policies and intervention programs that reduce stigma and promote more inclusive prevention and care strategies.