Mandatory Reporting of Intimate Partner Violence: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminology
• Sociology

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) and homicide are significant public health and safety concerns.
• Mandatory reporting laws require professionals to report suspected IPV to authorities, aiming to prevent harm.
• The effectiveness and implications of these laws remain debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize evidence on mandatory reporting of IPV.
• To assess the quality and findings of quantitative and qualitative studies on the topic.
• To identify gaps in current research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines.
• Searched multiple databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, etc.) for peer-reviewed empirical studies.
• Included studies in English or Scandinavian languages, with no time limit.

Main Results:

• Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria.
• Victims generally supported mandatory reporting, but some opposition exists.
• Professional knowledge and reporting rates were low; findings on group differences were inconclusive.
• Empirical research is limited, often biased, and shows little recent development.

Conclusions:

• Mandatory IPV reporting is a complex issue with mixed victim and professional perspectives.
• The scarcity of high-quality, recent research hinders a full understanding of its impact.
• Further investigation is needed to refine policies and improve IPV prevention efforts.