D. Seifert , A. Lambe, S. Anders, K. Pueschel, A. Heinemann 188 2009 46 51Forensic Science International ( ) –

Quantitative analysis of victim demographics and injury characteristics at a metropolitan Medico-Le

gal Center

L aw enforcement often requests e xperts in forensic medicine to com

plete the evidence collection in cas es of aggravated assault and other

vi ol ent cri mes

F orensic medical experts conduct a physical exam

• written and photographic d ocumentation of any injuries• securing and storing of any trace evidence found on the victims

• the victim receives contact inf ormation and

Objective

Q uantitative analysis of the data collected was the

extraction of specific injur y characteristics from sam

ple population.

A correlation was demonst rated between injury typol ogies and four possible pe

rpetrator–victim constellations.

Selection criteria February 1st, 2003 until December 31st, 2005

Sample populations : 3 0 7 4 victims

S tandardized questionnaire w as completed for 2 7 3 3 vic

tims (8 8 .9 %) 1 4 years andolder females : 1700 62( %)

males : 1033 38( %)

Forensic documentation and examined

• B asic demographics of victim• P erson or age

ncy filing report• H istory of event• F orm of violence

• P ossible substance abuse by v ictim and/or perpetrator

• O bjective assessmentof injuries• C - onsistency or non consistency with history• D ocumentation of additional services provided

• S ervices provided by coop erating partners

Victim–perpetrator constellation categories

Intimate partner violence

Interpersonal violence

Stranger violence

Miscellaneous violent crimes

Intimate partner violence

1Group A -Perpetrator is current or ex part

- ner, current or ex husband/wife, c - urrent or ex intimate partner

Exclusion: sexual assault or abuse

Group A2 -Perpetrator is current or (ex) pa

- rtner, current or ex husband/wife, - current or ex intimate partner

Inclusive of nonconsensual sexu al activity (assaultor abuse)

Interpersonal violence

Group B1 Perpetrator is family member,

workcolleague, acquaintance, class mate, neighbor

Exclusion: sexual assault or abuse

Group B2 Perpetrator is family member,

workcolleague, acquaintance, class mate, neighbor

Inclusive of nonconsensual se xual activity (assault or abuse)

Stranger violence

Group C1 Violent conflicts occurring in di

scos, bars, traffic, on the street, between strangers

Group C2 Sexual assault or abuse agains t adults perpetrated by strangers

Group C3 Robbery

Miscellaneous violent crimes

Group D Perpetrator and motive for

violent crime unknown due t o victim being unconscious o r incoherent at time of exam

Victim–perpetrator relationship

D : not classified 5%

A1 : intimate violence(exclusive sex, assault) 26%

A2 : intimate violence(sex assault) 5%

B1: family / acquaintance(exclusive sex, assault) 20%B2: family / acquaintance

( sex assault) 9%

C1: foreigner: aggression 21%

C2: foreigner: sex assault6%

C3: foreigner: robbery 8%

Characteristics of victim–perpetrator constellations

/ % / % ( / . . )

1 733A : intimate violence 686 936. % 47 64 350112. % . / .

2 123 122 992 1 08 327120A : intimate violence:sa . % . % . / .

1 548 249 454 299 546 330169B : family/acquaintance . % . % . / .

2 234 227 970 7 30 250109B : family/acquaintance:sa . % . % . / .

C1: foreigner:aggression 571 142 24.9% 429 751. % 315119. / .

C2: foreigner:sa 171 167 97.7% 4 2.3% 29.8/13.0

C3: foreigner:robbery 216 63 29.2% 153 70.8% 36.5/16.7 : 1 3 7 4 4 3 2 .1 % 9 3 6 7 .9 % 3 8 .8 /1 7 .3

2733 1700 622 1033 378 329140Total . % . % . / .

Category N NNNNNNNNNN NNN N NNNNNN NNNNN N ( % )

( %) (; /..)

1A : intimate violence 2A : intimate violence:sa 1B : family/acquaintance

2B : family/acquaintance:sa C1: foreigner:aggression

C2: foreigner:sa C3: foreigner:robbery

NN NNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

66.9 2.05/2.80 19.6/44.971.1 1.77/3.71 30.1/43.172.3 2.19/3.14 18.4/38.4

87.1 1.43/4.58 46.2/52.972.0 2.04/3.02 22.6/52.778.3 0.75/1.09 40.4/54.381.0 2.12/3.24 14.8/40.471.1 2.19/3.35 22.6/53.5

77.8 1.94/3.16 23.8/46.5

Category

1A : intimate violence 140/17.6% - - 81.6% - 2A : intimate violence:sa - - - - -

1B : family/acquaintance 100/12.6% - - - -

2B : family/acquaintance:sa 128/16.1% - 13/23.6% - - C1: foreigner:aggression 189/23.7% - - - -

C2: foreigner:sa - 21/23.6% - - - C3: foreigner:robber - - - - 30.6%

NN NNN NNNNNNNNNN - - - - -

Substance abuse

NNNNNNNi l l egal

Cause of injury

N NNNNNNNmedicationswith

NNNNNNNNNN

Blunt force traumaCategory

1A : intimate violence

2A : intimate violence:sa

1B : family/acquaintance

2B : family/acquaintance:sa C1: foreigner:aggression

C2: foreigner:sa C3: foreigner:robbery

NN NNN NNNNNNNNNN

N NNN NNNN N NNNNNN N NNN 57.8 52.8% 16.0% 14.2%

27.6 25.2% 8.1% 9.8%

57.8 50.5% 19.3% 11.5%

17.1 15.4% 3.8% 11.1% 57.3 51.7% 15.1% 4.9%

25.7 21.6% 5.8% 9.4% 64.8 56.0% 22.7% 8.8% 52.6 41.6% 28.5% 5.8%

Blunt force traumaCategory

1A : intimate violence

2A : intimate violence:sa

1B : family/acquaintance

2B : family/acquaintance:sa C1: foreigner:aggression

C2: foreigner:sa C3: foreigner:robbery

NN NNN NNNNNNNNNN

Head and neck Back Upper limbs Lower limbs

9.0% 17.2 52.9% 35.5%

4.1% 11.4 44.7% 42.3%

8.0% 11.1 37.8% 23.0%

3.4% 11.1 28.2% 23.9% 3.5% 8.4 32.0% 23.5% 4.1% 11.7 26.9% 26.9%

6.5% 8.8 33.8% 21.3% 3.6% 17.2 36.5% 32.8%

Absence of injuries

V ictims of sexual assault or abuse r esulting from interpersonal violenc

e (48.3%,p < .01,GroupB2) than for al l other groups.

- Self inflicted injuries

2.5% of the total number of victims (47 women and 4 men).

Number of injured body regions accordin g to victim–perpetrator constellation.

- Injuriesconsi stent or non consi stent wi thvi c tim’s stated history of events

Conclusion

• I ntimate partner violence pr oduces a characteristic injury pattern in the victim, specifica

lly blunt force trauma to the head and neck

• V ictims of intimate partner viol ence reported injuries to signific antly more body regions and experie nced more severe injuries than v

ictims in all other groups