Recent Research in Child Abuse and Neglect: Child Deaths from Family Violence (2009)

Part of our ongoing survey of the child abuse and neglect literature, and what it really says about perpetrators. Perpetrator data is highlighted in bold.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B8CY1-4W6N2VS-1&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F31%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1024980583&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=7e1bdae677593808e6be88ed6687654a

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 16, Issue 7, October 2009, Pages 388-391

Child deaths from family violence in Dakahlia and Damiatta Governorates, Egypt

Seham A. Gad El-Hak MDa, Professor, Mahmoud A.M. Ali Master degreeb, Chief/Director general and Hend M.H. Abo El-Atta Master degreea, , , Assistant lecturer

aDepartment of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt

bMansoura Forensic Medicine Institute, Egypt

Received 4 December 2008; revised 19 February 2009; accepted 2 April 2009. Available online 2 May 2009.

Abstract
This retrospective study evaluated 41 cases of child deaths child deaths of both sexes from family violence and autopsied at Mansoura Morgue of Forensic Medicine Institute from 1996 to 2005. According to their ages, children were divided into four groups as follow: The majority of perpetrators were males (75.62%); they comprised children fathers in 60.98%, while female perpetrators represented 24.39%; they comprised the children mothers in 7.32%. Fathers who lived in rural areas represented 75.6% and 24.4% in urban areas. Regarding the level of education of fathers of decedent children, 36.6% were illiterate, 17.1% were highly educated and 46.3% were less than high school education. The marital status of those parents were as follows: separated couples (51.2%), still married couples (22.0%); fathers with multiple wives (26.8%). Blunt trauma in abusive manner was the most common form (63.4%). It was concluded that some socio-demographic parameters are considered risk factors related to intrafamilial violence and it should be considered by Family Planning Programs to estimate the magnitude of this problem in our community on a large scale, offering psychological assessment and assurance for risky perpetrators aiming to prevent such fatal child abuse crimes.