Support for Female Victims of Violent Crimes Through Schema Therapy in the Mental Health System of Tehran Province

Abstract

Violence against women is one of the most serious contemporary social and legal challenges and has received significant attention in the fields of criminal law and criminal policy. Victimization of women in violent crimes, in addition to physical and social harms, produces profound psychological consequences that, in many cases, are exacerbated by the lack of adequate legal and psychological support. The present study was conducted with the aim of examining support for female victims of violent crimes through schema therapy and its role in promoting mental health in Tehran Province. In this research, the legal status of protecting women victims of violence in the Iranian criminal justice system was first reviewed, and legal gaps concerning criminal and judicial protections for this vulnerable group were identified. Subsequently, from the perspective of protective criminology and restorative justice, the necessity of providing psychological and social support alongside criminal sanctions was discussed. In this regard, schema therapy is introduced as one of the modern psychotherapeutic approaches that, by identifying and modifying maladaptive beliefs formed due to exposure to violence, plays an effective role in reducing the negative psychological effects of victimization and empowering women. The findings of the study—based on analysis of data obtained from field studies and legal evaluations—indicate that implementing schema therapy in conjunction with legal support reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, improves social well-being, and increases emotion-regulation capacities among female victims. This intervention also enhances self-confidence, self-efficacy, and the ability of women to return to normal social and personal life. The results show that criminal protections alone are insufficient for repairing the harms caused by victimization, and that combining legal measures with psychotherapeutic approaches—particularly schema therapy—can play a key role in improving the psychological status of female victims and preventing secondary victimization. Accordingly, it is recommended that the judiciary, support institutions, and psychological counseling centers design and implement comprehensive, interdisciplinary programs to support women victims of violence. Expanding the use of schema therapy in women’s support centers may also serve as a practical solution which, alongside legal reforms, can strengthen the support system and enhance the mental health of this segment of society. Ultimately, it is suggested that Iran’s criminal policies, while focusing on punishing perpetrators of violence, devote greater attention to supporting victims and implementing psychological rehabilitation programs.