Intimate Partner Violence as a Global Medico-Legal and Public Health Emergency: A State-of-the-Art Multidimensional Framework Linking Epidemiology, Social Determinants, Health Outcomes, and Legal-Forensic Systems

Intimate partner violence (IPV) constitutes a pervasive global crisis that transcends the private sphere, representing a major violation of human rights and a critical challenge for public health, legal systems, and public security worldwide. Despite decades of research, significant gaps persist in the literature, particularly regarding the integration of epidemiological evidence with clinical, forensic, legal, and policy perspectives capable of informing coordinated systemic responses. Much of the existing research remains fragmented across disciplines, limiting the translation of evidence into effective prevention, detection, accountability, and protection strategies. This state-of-the-art review was undertaken to address these gaps by providing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary synthesis of IPV as a medico-legal and public health emergency. The article critically examines global epidemiology, typologies and conceptual frameworks, socioeconomic and structural determinants, health and mental health consequences, forensic and clinical indicators, lethality and femicide, and intersections with broader criminal trajectories. Particular emphasis is placed on disparities by gender, age, race, and sexual orientation, as well as on the persistent underrecognition of IPV within healthcare and justice systems. By situating IPV at the intersection of medicine, law, and public policy, this state-of-the-art review highlights its profound consequences for population health, health system burden, and societal safety. The findings underscore the necessity of integrated surveillance systems, trauma-informed clinical and forensic practices, and cross-sector collaboration between health services, law enforcement, and social protection networks. Finally, the review discusses implications for public health and public security policies, emphasizing evidence-based prevention, early identification, legal accountability, and gender- and equity-informed strategies as essential components to reduce IPV prevalence, prevent escalation to lethal outcomes, and mitigate its long-term individual and societal impacts.