Intentional interpersonal violence: Epidemiological and analytical study about 973 cases at the forensic unit in Habib BOURGUIBA University Hospital in Sfax, Tunisia

Abstract

AimsViolence represents a serious societal problem which plagues all over the world. In this paper, we aim to study the effect of this phenomenon on the region of Sfax,(the second city of Tunisia) to describe socio-epidemiological characteristics of victims and recall medico-legal consequences of this violence on the aggressor particularly in the light of organic law n ° 58–2017 of August 11th 2017 on the abolition of violence against women. MethodsA retrospective descriptive and analytical study was carried out, over a period of 3 months from October 1st 2019, to December 31st 2019, including all cases of interpersonal violence. Results973 cases of victims of interpersonal violence were examined in our unit for assault and battery consultation. It represents 50,8% of all consultants. The median age was 30 ± 15,5 years. The most affected age group was children (<18 years) with a rate of 28.2 %. There was a significant correlation between the sex of the victim and the perpetrator and between the sex and the marital status (p < 0,05). The average duration of Total Temporary Disability (TTD) was 6 days with extremes ranging from 0 to 60 days. Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) was expected in 181 victims, or 18,6% of the cases. TTD and PPD were correlated. In addition, they were also correlated with sex, the weapon used and the presence of certain lesions such as fractures, tendon injuries, corneal injuries, burns… (p < 0,05). Conclusionviolence against women and children is not negligible. In our society, Women are most affected with domestic violence, despite of the new organic law No. 58-2017 of August 11th 2017, relating to the abolition of violence against women. Men are more exposed to serious violence with serious medical and medico-legal consequences.