Domestic violence and Forensic Dentistry in a city in northeast Brazil before and during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: The Maria da Penha Law defines domestic violence against women as a gender-based action or omission that causes injury, physical, sexual, or psychological suffering, moral or financial damage, or death. Objective: To assess the profile of women victims of domestic violence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a city with approximately 2.5 million inhabitants, based on forensic dental reports from the local government agency. Methodology: This is a documentary, observational, cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative study, with analysis of information from the forensic reports. Data were expressed as absolute frequencies and percentages, associated with variables using Fisher's exact test and Pearson's chi-square test, in SPSS v20.0 software, with a 95% confidence level. Results: The most prevalent profile was women between 31 and 40 years old, with low education, single, in a stable relationship with the aggressor, who suffered violence in the home, with a predominance of soft tissue injuries. Physical violence was the most common, followed by moral and psychological violence. Conclusion: Forensic dentists play an essential role in identifying injuries, helping to hold perpetrators accountable, and strengthening public policies to combat violence.