Injuries from intimate partner and sexual violence: Significance and classification systems.
While intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) are highly associated with injury, the healthcare and legal significance of these injuries is controversial.


OBJECTIVE
Herein we propose to explore the significance of injury in IPV and SV and examine the current status of injury classification systems from the perspectives of the healthcare and criminal justice systems. We will review current injury classification systems and suggest a typology of injury that could be tested empirically.


RESULTS
Within the published literature, we found that no commonly accepted injury typology exists. While nuanced and controversial issues surround the role of injury detection in the sexual assault forensic examination, enough evidence exists to support the continued pursuance of a scientific approach to injury classification. We propose an injury typology that is measurable, is applicable to the healthcare setting and criminal justice system, and allows us to use uses a matrix approach that includes a severity score, anatomic location, and injury type. We suggest a typology that might be used for further empirical testing on the validity and reliability of IPV and SV injury data.


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend that the community of scientists concerned about IPV and SV develop a more rigorous injury classification system that will improve the quality of forensic evidence proffered and decisions made throughout the criminal justice process.
School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Boulevard, Fagin Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. ssommer@nursing.upenn.edu
Marilyn S
MS
Sommers
Kathleen M
KM
Brown
Carole
C
Buschur
Janine S
JS
Everett
Jamison D
JD
Fargo
Bonnie S
BS
Fisher
Christina
C
Hinkle
Therese M
TM
Zink
D003416:Criminal Law; D003625:Data Collection / Q000941:ethics; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D005835:Genitalia / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D015995:Prevalence; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D014754:Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification*