Background
Intimate partner violence is a severe life-threatening criminal and public health problem affecting the well-being of individuals, families, and society. Planning interventions to reduce the burden of this persistent and criminal violence should be relevant culturally and socially.
Methods
In this randomized control trial, 150 pregnant women residing in slum areas of Hamadan were randomly assigned to two groups (intervention group: n=50 and control group: n=100). Interventional strategies included educating the victims based on local cultural norms, culturally sensitive individual and group counseling, and educating health care providers. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews at baseline and again at 3 months after the intervention. We used a paired t-test to evaluate the effect of the intervention by comparing changes in the outcomes measured.
Results
There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups at baseline in terms of sociodemographic characteristics. Post-test scores of knowledge (7.50±2.65 vs. 5.14±3.51, P=0.001), communication skills (18.38±4.25 vs. 16.2±3.83, P=0.04), and family support and social expectation of obedience (15.79±4.45 vs. 13.40±4.57, P=0.005) of the victims were statistically significantly higher in the experimental group compared to the control group. Moreover, physical (0.74±2.28 vs. 1.20±2.60, P=0.06), psychological (2.80±4.10 vs. 4.52±5.43, P=0.06), and sexual (0.11±0.58 vs. 0.61±1.22, P=0.04) violence reduced in the experimental group compared to the control group.
Conclusion
Culturally relevant interventions can reduce intimate partner violence.

Citations

• E-health intervention in pregnant women exposed to intimate partner violence (eIPV): Results of a pilot randomised controlled trial
  Antonella Ludmila Zapata-Calvente, Aurora Bueno Cavanillas, Karen Andreasen, Ditte Søndergaard Linde, Vibeke Rasch, Khalid S. Khan, Stella Martín-de-las-Heras
  Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications.2026; 51: 101634.     CrossRef
• Psychosocial Interventions and Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Against Women: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
  Antonio Piolanti, Heather M. Foran
  Trauma, Violence, & Abuse.2026;[Epub]     CrossRef
• A scoping review of preventive interventions to reduce violence against women and girls in the Islamic Republic of Iran
  Wahiba Abu-Ras, Leena Babiker Idris, Shahira Amin, Ashley Butler, Patricia J. Kelly, Basil H. Aboul-Enein
  Aggression and Violent Behavior.2026; 89: 102175.     CrossRef
• Interventions for intimate partner violence during the perinatal period: A scoping review
  Olivia Mercier, Sarah Yu Fu, Rachel Filler, Alexie Leclerc, Kari Sampsel, Karine Fournier, Mark Walker, Shi Wu Wen, Katherine Muldoon
  Campbell Systematic Reviews: Better Evidence for a Better World.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef