Gender Differences in Violent Penetrating Injuries and Long-Term Adverse Outcomes

Artwork: The Rape of Lucretia. Rape is not only about power and control, its also about sexual intercourse and how men can feel deprived of it.

“Violent injury is known to be a chronic, recurrent issue, with high rates of recidivism in the 5 years following initial injury. Most intervention strategies focus on young men, while there has been little research in the unique risk factors or long-term outcomes for female victims of violence. The aim of this study was to examine the risk of violent injury and long term adverse outcomes by gender. There was a 95% confidence interval for the cause of all case mortality and violent re-injury at 1 to 3 years after surviving a penetrating injury. While men had a greater risk factor at six more times more likely than the three year mortality compared against women. Additionally men were more likely to suffer a stab wound or gunshot wound reinjury. Women were more likely to have an assault or domestic violence reinjury. Compared to men, the risk of violent reinjury was significantly increased for women with a history of substance use disorder. When three factors combined, the risk of violent penetrating reinjury became a trifecta outcome for women. Those three factors were: substance use, mental illness, and domestic violence. This underscores the critical role of violence intervention programs in addressing these risks in mitigating violent injury recidivism. Additionally, survivors of violent injury are often faced with life-long mental, physical, and financial difficulties (Center for Disease Control, 2020)

For future information on this journal article please contact Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. publications to receive free updates from the journal Violence and Gender.

Sources:

Elizabeth C. Pino, Francesca Fontin, Thea L. James, Emily F. Rothman, and Elizabeth Dugan. “Gender Differences in Violent Penetrating Injuries and Long Term Adverse Outcomes. VIOLENCE AND GENDER. Vol. 8, Issue 4. Published December 1, 2021.