Forensic Medical Evaluation of Female Cases Admitted Due to Intimate Partner Violence: A Sample From Artvin Province

Introduction: Intimate partner violence is a serious issue that especially affects women and causes serious physical and psychological effects. The aim of this study is to examine the victims of intimate partner violence in Artvin province. Method: Among the 801 cases for which forensic reports were issued by the Artvin Forensic Medicine Branch Directorate from 2020 to 2024, female cases aged 18 years and older who were subjected to forensic evaluation due to partner violence were included in the study. Variables such as sociodemographic characteristics of the cases, season of the violence, place of the incident, type and site of injury, severity of injury, and pre-incident history of partner violence were evaluated. Results: In the study, mean age among 43 patients who presented with intimate partner violence was 36.26 ± 13.18 years. The most frequently affected age group was 18-45 years, 67.4% of the cases were married and 74.4% had at least one child. It was determined that intimate partner violence was mostly perpetrated by official spouses and most of the victims had high school education level or less. Most of the incidents occurred in autumn and winter months and within the house, and 81.4% of the injuries were caused by blunt trauma. The rate of cases with a history of intimate partner violence before the incident was 56.1% and the rate of psychiatry outpatient clinic admission after the incident was 70.7%. Conclusion: Intimate partner violence is a serious problem, especially affecting women with economic dependence and low education levels. It is important to increase social awareness, implement policies that support for women’s economic independence, and strengthen protective services for victims. More comprehensive research is needed to develop effective intervention strategies.