Interpersonal Violence Against Children and Adolescents: A Forensic Study From Greece.

Objective: To investigate differences in victimization of minors after allegations of domestic violence and community violence.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the archive of clinical examinations after allegations for interpersonal violence against minors that were performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of our Medical School from 2012 to 2016.

Results: 216 cases of allegations for victimization of minors' were referred to our department, representing 8.8% of all clinical forensic examinations. Boys community violence victims were affected mainly on the head, whilst girls mainly on the genital area. Upper limbs were the predominant site of injuries on domestic violence victims of both sexes.

Conclusions: Adolescents were in greater danger of sustaining injuries than younger children. Upper limb injuries may prove to be a useful screening tool for domestic violence in school-age children and adolescents, while trunk injuries may indicate domestic violence in preschool children.