Socio-demographic Profile of Clinical Medico-legal Gender-based Violence Cases at Jumla Nepal: An Observational Study.

Abstract

Introduction: Gender-based violence is a burden throughout Nepal. This study aimed to assess the sociodemographic profile of Gender-based violence cases and shed light on factors associated with these incidents in the Jumla district of rural Nepal.

Methods: A retrospective observational study involving all the Gender-based violence cases brought for clinical medico-legal examination at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, Jumla, Nepal, from January 01, 2022 - December 31, 2023. The study variables included various socio-demographic profiles of these cases. These variables were entered and analyzed using Microsoft Excel (version 16.16.27--201012) and SPSS 23.0.

Results: Among the total clinical forensic medicine cases, Gender-based violence was present in 83 (41.92%). All the females were survivors, 53 (63.85%), and all the malex were perpetrators, 30 (36.14%). The median ages of the female and male were 20 years (Range: 11-73) and 19 years (Range: 13-52), respectively. Among these cases, 20 (24.10%) had physical assault, and 63 (75.90%) were related to sexual assault, with all male examinees presenting with sexual assault.

Conclusions: Gender-based violence is common among females in Jumla and is primarily inflicted by males due to various sociocultural factors.