Age differences in the prosecution of child abuse cases.

Introduction: Evidence in child abuse cases can be scarce and is often centred around the child's testimony. However, child testimony varies with the child's development. Here, an overview of suspects, case decisions and court verdicts from a cohort of children is presented, stratified across children aged 0-3, 4-7, 8-11, and 12-15 years.

Distinct age-related differences among victims in cases of suspected child abuse.

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.

The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on sexual assault in Western Denmark.

This study sets out to investigate whether the 15-month nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in Denmark had an impact on the victim demographics, location of sexual assaults, and relationship between victim and perpetrator in the Western part of Denmark compared to the 15 months prior to the lockdown initiatives. This study is a retrospective study including a total of 596 cases. Cases were identified in the database of the Department of Forensic Medicine Aarhus, including cases labeled "rape," "attempted rape," and "later reported.

[Physical abuse of children in Denmark].

Physical abuse is experienced by approximately 20% of children in Denmark. Healthcare workers issue less than 20% of all reports suspecting physical child abuse to responsible authorities. Insufficient knowledge and other barriers may partly explain this low percentage.

Sudden unexpected death caused by stroke: A nationwide study among children and young adults in Denmark.

Background Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in young individuals globally. Data on the burden of sudden death by stroke are sparse in the young. Aims The aim of this study was to report mortality rates, cause of death, stroke subtype, and symptoms in children and young adults who suffered sudden death by stroke.

Post-mortem toxicology in young sudden cardiac death victims: a nationwide cohort study.

Aims: Several drugs increase the risk of ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death (SCD). We aimed to investigate in detail the toxicological findings of all young SCD throughout Denmark.

Methods And Results: Deaths in persons aged 1-49 years were included over a 10-year period.

Sudden cardiac death and coronary disease in the young: A nationwide cohort study in Denmark.

Background: Sudden cardiac death caused by coronary artery disease (CAD-SCD) is the most frequent cause of SCD in persons <50years. The aim of this study was to examine differences in clinical characteristics and autopsy findings of the heart among 18-35 and 36-49year old CAD-SCD cases.

Methods: We have previously identified all sudden cardiac deaths in Denmark through review of death certificates and autopsy reports including all deaths between 2000 and 2006 in individuals aged 18-35years and all deaths between 2007 and 2009 in individuals aged 18-49years.

Sports-related sudden cardiac death in a competitive and a noncompetitive athlete population aged 12 to 49 years: data from an unselected nationwide study in Denmark.

Background: Preparticipation screening programs have been suggested to reduce the numbers of sports-related sudden cardiac deaths (SrSCD).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize all SrSCD aged 12-49 years and to address the difference in incidence rates between competitive and noncompetitive athletes.

Methods: All deaths among persons aged 12-49 years from 2007-2009 were included.

Burden of sudden cardiac death in persons aged 1 to 49 years: nationwide study in Denmark.

Background: Knowledge of the burden and causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is sparse in persons aged<50 years; better understanding is needed to lower the risk of SCD. The aim of this study was to report SCD incidence rates and autopsy findings in persons aged 1 to 49 years.

Methods And Results: All deaths in persons aged 1 to 49 years were included in 2007 to 2009.

Forensic medical examination of adolescent and adult victims of sexual violence.

The acute care and examination of a victim of sexual violence must be carried out by a competent forensic examiner in a setting appropriate for crisis intervention, forensic evidence collection, and medical follow up. The aim of forensic evidence and biological material collection is to document an alleged physical or sexual contact between individuals and to corroborate the victim's and the assailant's history. This is why the forensic examiner is expected to be objective and in possession of specialised technical and scientific skills.

Screening analysis for medicinal drugs and drugs of abuse in whole blood using ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS)--toxicological findings in cases of alleged sexual assault.

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) method for simultaneous screening of 46 medicinal drugs and drugs of abuse in whole blood was developed and validated. The method includes most of the commonly used and abused drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and opioids. Chromatographic separation of the targeted drugs was achieved using a Waters ACQUITY UPLC coupled to a Waters Micromass LCT Premier XE time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

Characteristics of victims and assaults of sexual violence--improving inquiries and prevention.

The purpose of our study was to provide descriptive data on victim and assault characteristics in sexual violence and to ascertain risk factors in the sequence of the assault events. Retrospective data were collected on all sexual assault victims presented to the sexual referral centre, the police and the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Aarhus, Denmark, during a five-year period. Four hundred and twenty-three victims were included.

Legal aspects of sexual violence--does forensic evidence make a difference?

A survey was done of 307 alleged victims of sexual violence reported to the police departments in Greater Aarhus, Denmark, in 1999-2004. The legal disposition was ascertained and related to victim and assault characteristics together with the forensic medical and laboratory findings. The police pressed charges in more than half of the cases and 11% turned out to be false allegations.

City centre violence.

Emergency medicine departments have often proved to be an important source of information concerning violence. These resulting studies of violence have not previously focused on city centre violence, but instead described violence from an entire casualty department or police district. Results from the Aarhus violence study of 1999-2000 revealed differences in characteristics of victims, place of assault and alcohol consumption when violence in the city was compared to violence elsewhere.