Epidemiology of femicide: An autopsy based study at DHQ Teaching Hospital Sahiwal.

Abstract

Objective: To know the epidemiology of female homicidal deaths in Sahiwal. Study Design: Descriptive Retrospective study. Setting: Department of Forensic Medicine, Sahiwal Medical College and DHQ Teaching Hospital Sahiwal. Period: 1^stJanuary 2016 to 31^st December 2018. Material & Methods: This study includes 73 cases of female homicide from a total of 314 autopsies conducted at DHQ Teaching Hospital,Sahiwal. These cases were examined regarding their age, marital status, residential background, cause of death, alleged offender and apparent motive of Killing. Result: The study revealed that commonly involved age group was 20-29 years (45.2%), 45 (61.6%) females were married and 64 (87.7%) female victims belonged to rural area. Firearms were the causative agent in 31 (42. 5%) cases. In 19 (59.5%) cases the alleged offender was husband. Honor killing, financial/property disputes were the main reason for homicides. Conclusion: The violence against women in Sahiwal is higher in rural areas and more commonly affecting the married women of child bearing age.