Patterns of homicide in North Tunisia: a 10-year study (2005-2014).
In Tunisia and in the Arab world, few data are available about homicide patterns. The aim of our study was to analyse the victims' profiles and the general pattern.



636 homicide victims were autopsied at the Legal Medicine Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital in Tunis, over a period of 10 years (2005-2014).



Victims were males in 79.7% with a male-to-female ratio of 3.93 and the average age was 37.7 years. The victim was generally from an urban area (66.7%), single (55.7%) and semiskilled (50.2%). The most common methods of homicide were sharp force (51.7%) and blunt trauma (24.8%).



This study suggests applying urgent preventive measures targeting essentially young males and the importance of a national 'Violence Repository'.
Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.|Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Mehdi
0000-0002-2730-3285
M
Ben Khelil
Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Fethia
F
Farhani
Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.|Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Hana
H
Harzallah
Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.|Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Mohamed
M
Allouche
Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.|Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Meriem
M
Gharbaoui
Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.|Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Ahmed
A
Banasr
Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.|Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Anis
A
Benzarti
Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.|Department of Legal Medicine, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Moncef
M
Hamdoun
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002423:Cause of Death; D004651:Employment; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality*; D055815:Young Adult