Intimate Partner Violence-Related Injuries Among Colombian Women

Previous studies have reported that the majority of women who suffer physical injuries related to intimate partner violence (IPV) have been injured in the head, neck, and/or face. No studies have provided detailed information on injuries suffered by Colombian abused women, and therefore the types of injuries, where on the body they have been inflicted and the associated symptoms experienced by women who are victims of IPV remain unknown in the Colombian context. This study aims to describe the patterns of injuries among female victims of IPV in Colombia, as well as the related demographic and nondemographic factors. We used reports gathered from the "Centro de Atencion a Victimas de la Fiscalia [Center for Victim Services at the District Attorney's Office]" in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, between January 2016 and January 2017. We found that most cases involved injuries to the head and face. The implications of this type of injury were discussed.