Domestic Homicide: A Forensic Approach

The domestic homicide represents the most serious and radical offence which can be committed against a family or household member. This offence was analysed in a study based on cases occurring between the years 2008 and 2013 that had been solved by the Medical Examiner’s Office in Suceava, on a representative group, using data from forensic autopsy reports and from reports provided by the police and the Public Prosecutor's Office in Suceava region. By analysing the domestic homicide cases, it can be easily seen that from the total number of 84 cases, 23 were domestic homicides, representing 27.13%. This crime can be committed against both sexes, male and female. The total number of female victims (6) overcomes the one of male victims (10). The number of victims of both sexes in rural regions is considerably larger than the one in urban ones (27/10). The highest frequency of domestic homicides concerns female victims from the age group 61-70 (263%) and male victims from the age group 51-60 (38.8%). In the cases where the victim is a man, the aggressors are the wives (27.77%), the sons (27.77%), the siblings (1 cases), the nephews/grandsons (1 cases) and the sons-in-law (1case). In the cases in which the victim is a woman, the aggressors are the husbands (57.89%), the cohabiters (2 cases), the sons (1 cases) and the nieces/granddaughters (1 case). The thoracic traumas are the most frequent injuries (38), followed by polytraumas (18), craniocerebral traumas (16), cervical traumas (8) and abdominal traumas (4). Finally, based on the results of statistical-analytic study and using the epistemology criteria it was designed a pattern for "domestic homicide forensic investigation". The consequences of violence are profound and can have a great influence upon the health and the well-being of the individual, as well as upon the "health" state of the entire community.