NCJ Number
190580
Journal
Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2000 Pages: 192-200
Date Published
December 2000
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article examines some of the problems concerning victims of violence, particularly in developing countries.
Abstract
In today's context, the word "violence" encompasses many issues. In addition to offenses such as assault, rape, sexual abuse, and non-accidental injury to children, assault in custody, torture, victims of war, and civil and ethnic unrest are all considered violence. While general violence is almost endemic in many countries, assault in custody, torture, political, and ethnic violence are serious problems in some developing countries. In those countries law enforcement agencies and unlawful groups backed by politicians may inflict politically motivated violence on citizens. Attempts are often made to cover up such actions and forensic physicians and forensic pathologists may be pressured to issue directed findings. In addition, there is a dearth of suitably trained forensic physicians and pathologists in the developing countries, and those untrained personnel are responsible to investigate victims of violence. Their lack of training makes them vulnerable to political and other pressures. Figures, references