Prevalence of Physical Violence in the Medical-Forensic Approach in the Years 2015–2020 in City and Neighboring Municipalities: Perspectives from Poland—Poznań Study

Abstract

Forensic medical opinions serve the appropriate classification of a crime against health. Violence, a multifaceted phenomenon, requires forensic medical examination in the case of causing damage to health. Due to the effects caused by the perpetrator, the damage to health is divided into severe, medium, and light. This study analyzed 7689 incidents of violence from 2015–2020, taking place in the area subordinate to the Provincial Police Headquarters in Poznań, based on anonymized documentation of forensic medical examinations performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Poznań at the request of the Police and privately. The analysis took into account: units ordering the test, type of exposure, medical help, sex and age of the victim, places of the incident, classification and localization of injury, manner of impact, attitude of the perpetrator to the victim, profession of the victim, gender of the perpetrator, and remarks. In Poland, statistics on violence victims are underestimated, resulting from the low reporting of crimes committed to law enforcement authorities. There is a need for programs to educate the perpetrator of violence on methods of conflict resolution and programs to prevent violence, covering events taking place in public spaces.