Narrative review of domestic violence and related issues

Domestic violence represents a complicated problem that spans legal and public health domains through physical assault and psychological harm, alongside economic exploitation and sexual abuse. In this narrative review, we discussed child abuse, along with intimate partner violence, elder abuse, and family aggression, and how all mentioned reflects domestic violence patterns that social norms sustain together with the victims’ lack of voice. The epidemiology, individual and relationship risk factors, sociocultural determinants, mental health correlates, and patterns of recurrence are critically reviewed, and knowledge gaps in methodological consistency and cross-cultural comparability are pointed out. It deals with current issues like abuse facilitated by technology, post-pandemic trends, and links to human trafficking. Particular attention is given to forensic and clinical consequences, including trauma-informed treatment, objective documentation of harm, preservation of evidence, and risk assessment using validated instruments, such as the DVSI-R, SARA, ODARA, B-SAFER, and Danger Assessment. This narrative review highlights the importance of interdisciplinary evidence-based approaches to prevention and intervention and shows that domestic violence affects women disproportionately within patriarchal cultures, while it also affects men and children, who experience lasting psychological and behavioral effects.