Evaluación forense de la violencia contra la mujer. Revisión sistemática

Abstract

Background: violence against women (VAW) is a major global problem, and although it is difficult to express real figures due to underreporting, it is a phenomenon with serious repercussions not only for women, but also for the family and society in general. General objective: to describe the prevalence, types, aggressors, injuring agents and risk factors related to VAW. Methodology: systematic review. Fifty-four articles that met the eligibility criteria were included. The information was consolidated in customized tables and presented according to the research objectives. Results: in couple and intrafamily relationships, sexual aggressions were one of the most documented types of violence. From a gender perspective and the scenarios of couple and intrafamily relationships, psychological and physical violence presented variable frequencies. Males were the main aggressors and/or perpetrators of the different types of violence in any setting of VAW. Various methods were used as injuring agents, ranging from physical mechanisms to sexual and/or psychological aggression. The risk factors for VAW had a confluence of social and economic determinants, consumption of toxic substances (alcohol), intimate partner behaviors and previous history of abuse and/or violence. Conclusions: VAW is a latent phenomenon, whose main perpetrator is the male; it is related to different risk factors; its effects include alterations in the physical, sexual and psychological spheres. Limitations: great heterogeneity of articles on VAW, which made it difficult to consolidate the information.