PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE: SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THE UZBEKISTAN CONTEXT

Аннотация

Violence against women (VAW) represents a severe global public health and human rights crisis. In Uzbekistan, nearly 20,000 cases of domestic violence against women and girls were recorded in the first half of 2023 alone [1], underscoring the urgent need for evidence-based psychological research within the national context.

This systematic review synthesizes global meta-analytic evidence on the psychological sequelae of violence against women — including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and dissociation — and contextualizes these findings within Uzbekistan's legal, cultural, and epidemiological landscape. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar were searched for meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and epidemiological studies published between 2019 and 2025. National data were extracted from UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF reports and Uzbekistan governmental statistics.

Globally, 840 million women have experienced intimate partner or non-partner sexual violence over their lifetime [2]. PTSD prevalence among IPV survivors ranges from 31% to 84% [4], with significant comorbid rates of depression, anxiety disorders, and suicidal ideation documented across 57 studies. Cortisol dysregulation and HPA-axis disruption constitute key neurobiological mechanisms mediating long-term psychological harm [5].

Developing a travma-informed psychological care system, training specialized psychologists, and expanding evidence-based prevention programs are essential priorities for Uzbekistan.