Child abuse and neglect in Denmark: medico-legal aspects

On the basis of material selected at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Aarhus , from 1959 to 1980, we estimated the frequency of mortality from child abuse in Denmark to be 0.5 child deaths per million inhabitants per year. This figure is equal to that in Sweden and Norway but lower than most other countries. The study population included 53 abused children: 33 living children (18 boys and 15 girls) and 20 fatalities (11 boys and 9 girls). The social background of the children and abusers (32 men and 15 women) is described in connection with the juridical and social outcome of the cases. Cases with repetitive lesions were the most important evidence of child abuse. In cases with non-repetitive injuries, it was more difficult to prove that child abuse had taken place, but subdural hematoma and abdominal lesions with rupture of the duodenum or tearing of the mesenterium were very strong evidence. We think that a better handling of cases of child abuse or neglect could be obtained with extended collaboration between the social authorities, the police, the public prosecutor , the pediatrician and the forensic pathologist.