Patterns of violence in the Kandy area (Sri Lanka)

An analysis of 5,241 medicolegal cases (which include 744 deaths) seen in the Kandy area (Sri Lanka) by one of the authors between August 1983 and July 1989 and concerning offences against the person is presented. The incidence; times of occurrence; profile of victims (age, sex); individual versus group violence, and relationship between victim and offender revealed a pattern of violence which is as follows: a decrease in accidental deaths, a marked increase in homicides in the latter period of 1988 and through 1989 with a corresponding decrease in suicides. Grievous hurt showed a considerable increased incidence compared to non-grievous hurt with an increased trend towards voluntarily caused grievous hurt and that caused in traffic accidents. As instruments of violence, the use of blunt weapons predominated while the use of sharp weapons remained roughly unchanged throughout. There was a significant use of firearms in violence in the concluding year of the study. The pattern supports the hypothesis of a village (rural) basis for the violence.