Evaluation of female trauma cases applied to the forensic medicine polyclinic

The distribution of forensic incidents may vary by gender. With the increasing participation of women in social life in Türkiye, the number of women involved in forensic incidents, either as perpetrators or victims, has risen. This study aimed to analyze forensic traumatology reports for female cases in forensic medicine outpatient clinics to provide regional data. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 806 female cases residing in and around Adıyaman province who had received a forensic report due to trauma. The study encompassed various demographic and forensic clinical factors, including age, age group, the type of incident, origin of the incident (accident, suicide, intentional act), the presence of domestic violence, if any, the proximity of perpetrator, medical diagnosis, injury severity, injury severity score, and forensic report outcomes. In our study, the most common age group was 20-29 years (28.4%). Assault was the most frequent cause of injury (71.0%). Intentional injuries were more prevalent in the 20–29 age group, whereas accidental injuries were more common in the 0–9 age group (p<.001, Cramer's V: .482). Domestic violence was identified in 331 cases (41.1%). It was observed that life-threatening injuries were lower for assaults and higher for falls from height (p<0.001, Cramer's V: .471). Injuries were found to be more severe in accidental incidents compared to intentional ones. Women were often victims of falls from height at a young age and domestic violence in young adulthood. To reduce violence against women, educational, psychological and economic support should be provided to individuals who are prone to violence. Additionally, psychosocial rehabilitation services should be made available to female victims of violence.