@article{ref1,
title="Distinct age-related differences among victims in cases of suspected child abuse",
journal="Journal of forensic sciences",
year="2023",
author="Eg, Marlene Beyer and Graesholt-Knudsen, Troels and Madsen, Kathrine Bang and Obel, Carsten and Charles, Annie Vesterby and Ingemann-Hansen, Ole",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Evidence describing age-related differences among children with suspected physical and sexual child abuse is lacking. We describe findings in severe cases of suspected abuse. Cases with 756 children <15 years old were included during 2001-2013 at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Aarhus University, using forensic evaluation documents, medical records, and court proceedings. Eight percent of children <4 years old died from child abuse, 36% through violence resulting in death, and 64% by manslaughter, whereas 1% > 4 years old died, solely by manslaughter. External injuries were mainly located to head and torso in children <4 years old, changing to the upper and lower extremities in older children. Child sexual abuse was suspected in 52% of cases with living children <4 years old, 83% of children 4-7 years of age, 88% of children 8-11 years of age, and 93% of children >12 years old. Anogenital findings were mainly caused by other medical conditions in children <4 years old, hymenal clefts in the superior half of the hymenal rim were almost exclusively found in children between 8 and 11 years of age, whereas both superficial and complete hymenal clefts in the inferior half of the hymenal rim were found in children >12 years old. The present study describes age-related differences in victims of suspected child abuse. Fatal versus nonfatal child physical abuse and the significance of hymenal findings in child sexual abuse could be studied further.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-1198",
doi="10.1111/1556-4029.15398",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.15398"
}