OBJECTIVE: To obtain insight into the characteristics of intentional injuries in adult women, such as the sites, types, methods of infliction and the inflictors. DESIGN: Descriptive. METHOD: 11 trained and experienced forensic physicians collected data from 450 adult women who had reported domestic violence to the police in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, during the period from 1 April 2001 through 31 March 2005. RESULTS: In 42% of the cases of domestic abuse, the partner was named as the inflictor; in 26% this was the ex-partner. Of the injuries inflicted, 85% were found on more than one area of the body. The most common sites of injury were the eye, the side of the face, the throat or neck, the upper and lower arms and the upper and lower legs; injury to the mouth, the outside of the hand, the back, the scalp, the shoulder and the thorax was somewhat less common. In 76% of the victims there was more than one type of injury. In 64% of the cases the injury had been inflicted in more than one way. In 79% of the victims the injury was at a site that was visible to the outside world, such as the head or the back of the hand. CONCLUSION: In women with injuries due to domestic violence, there was a recognisable pattern with regard to the multiplicity of the injuries, the types of injury, the preferred sites of injury and the visibility of these sites to the outside world.
OBJECTIVE: To obtain insight into the characteristics of intentional injuries in adult women, such as the sites, types, methods of infliction and the inflictors. DESIGN: Descriptive. METHOD: 11 trained and experienced forensic physicians collected data from 450 adult women who had reported domestic violence to the police in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, during the period from 1 April 2001 through 31 March 2005. RESULTS: In 42% of the cases of domestic abuse, the partner was named as the inflictor; in 26% this was the ex-partner. Of the injuries inflicted, 85% were found on more than one area of the body. The most common sites of injury were the eye, the side of the face, the throat or neck, the upper and lower arms and the upper and lower legs; injury to the mouth, the outside of the hand, the back, the scalp, the shoulder and the thorax was somewhat less common. In 76% of the victims there was more than one type of injury. In 64% of the cases the injury had been inflicted in more than one way. In 79% of the victims the injury was at a site that was visible to the outside world, such as the head or the back of the hand. CONCLUSION: In women with injuries due to domestic violence, there was a recognisable pattern with regard to the multiplicity of the injuries, the types of injury, the preferred sites of injury and the visibility of these sites to the outside world.