Gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive human rights issue with public health consequences. The growing body of evidence on violence and HIV/AIDS continues to confirm that violence is a lead factor in the 'feminization' of the global AIDS epidemic and the disproportionately higher rates of HIV-infection among women and girls, who now represent at least half of those infected worldwide and about 60% of those infected in sub-Saharan Africa. The main purposes of this desk review are to: 1. Assess the levels of domestic violence in sub-Saharan Africa by critically reviewing the findings from available, comparable national Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) reports; and 2. Examine whether the evidence generated by these DHS findings has been used to inform policies and programs as reflected in the country growth and development strategies. The second purpose of this desk review is meant to determine the extent to which governments recognize GBV as a national priority and implement a multisectoral response to tackle the issue.