Background: Domestic violence against women is a major public health concern in Iran and globally, affecting women’s physical, psychological, and social well-being. Cultural norms, gender inequalities, and economic constraints play a substantial role in shaping the patterns and prevalence of violence. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the national prevalence of domestic violence against women in Iran.
Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted through a comprehensive search of Persian databases (Magiran, SID) and English databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) as well as Google Scholar for studies published up to December 31, 2024. Only cross-sectional studies reporting the prevalence of domestic violence against women were included. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, and a random-effects model was used to calculate pooled prevalence.
Results: A total of 21 studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of domestic violence against women in Iran was 9.7% (95% CI: 7.2–13.0). Psychological violence was reported more frequently than physical or sexual violence. Meta-regression showed that sample size, mean age of participants, and study year significantly contributed to heterogeneity (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Domestic violence against women remains a significant issue in Iran, with psychological violence being the most prevalent form. The findings highlight the need for targeted preventive strategies, culturally tailored interventions, and continued monitoring of trends to support affected women and guide policy development.