Domestic Abuse and Violent Extremism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis asks whether, how, and why domestic abuse and violent extremism intersect. We identified 61 relevant studies that examine various operationalisations of domestic abuse across perpetration, victimisation, and witnessing. The evidence base shows that domestic abuse is common, but not universal nor necessarily unique, in extremist samples. Pooled prevalence estimates reveal around one third of individuals involved in violent extremism had perpetrated intimate partner violence (34.5%), with lower proportions perpetrating domestic abuse (12.2%, 16.6%). Victimisation ranged from sexual abuse victimisation at 12.5%, to adverse childhood experiences at 78.3%. These findings varied across ideologies and genders. Ultimately, this is an associative, rather than causal, link, and conclusions are complicated by heterogeneity of prevalence rates, unclear comparisons to control groups, diverse data sources, and lacking longitudinal analyses. Where there is an overlap, this can be plausibly explained by perpetration of domestic abuse and extremist violence as part of a continuum of coercive violence, and the victim-offender overlap where victimisation comprises trauma that can shape susceptibility to extremist narratives, attitudes, and behaviours. Findings therefore support proportionate integration of case histories and emphasis on trauma-informed responses where relevant, while cautioning against treating domestic abuse as a predictive marker of extremist risk.