A Forensic Risk Score for Femicide Prevention: Development and Exploratory Application in 103 Medicolegal Cases in Brazil

This retrospective, descriptive, exploratory medicolegal study examined the Forensic Risk Score (ETR-Escore Técnico de Risco), a structured, literature-informed, lesion-centered forensic risk classification framework, in 103 confirmed femicide cases in Brazil. Cases were coded from anonymized official and forensic documentary data. The mean victim age was 34.0 years. Sharp-force injury, firearm injury, and asphyxia/strangulation accounted for 85.4% of lethal mechanisms. Vital or multiple vital topography was documented in 93.2% of cases. High and Critical ETR classifications represented 58.3% of the sample. The ETR is presented as an exploratory forensic classification framework, not a validated predictive model.