Violence against women: caracteristics of head and neck injuries

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of aggression in head and neck regions suffered by women who are victims of gender violence, and to analyze the variation in the number of cases before and after the enactment of the Maria da Penha Law. Methods: A survey was conducted on the records of examinations of personal injury made in the Department of Forensic Medicine in Vitória, in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. The study included women victims of bodily injury, referred as a result of domestic, family or conjugal violence, aged between 11 and 80. Results: The number of cases analyzed in this study exhibited an oscillation during the years studied. The results reveal that female victims are, in most cases, young, aged between 20 and 30, single and do not work outside the home. The victim’s husband or partner was the main offender, mostly using parts of the body, like the hands and feet, as the means of aggression. The most frequent craniofacial injuries were ecchymosis and abrasions, more often in orbital, cervical and frontal regions. Conclusions: The characteristics related to violence against women obtained through this study are of great importance and should be highlighted and publicized, to encourage implementation of public policies and practical actions of acceptance and recognition of such violence, including the insertion of the Forensic Dentist on the staff of experts in all Institutes of Forensic Medicine in the country.