Review of child abuse through 20-year autopsies in Jeju

Abstract

Child abuse is defined as any type of maltreatment and neglect by an adult, which is violent or threatening for a child, including physical violence directed to the child. Children could be abused not only by a parent or caregiver, but also by other adults on whom they are dependent, such as day nursery workers, teachers, and sports coaches. While doctors are the most responsible people for reporting any type of child abuse, their care and awareness seem to be very poor and weak. We reviewed 30 autopsy cases of child abuse, in particular during the past 20 years in Jeju Island. We expect that doctors will report any child abuse more actively after reading this review article.