Domestic Violence in Conakry

Abstract

Today domestic violence is a real public health issue. The objective of our study was to determine the
epidemiological and forensic aspects of domestic violence in Conakry. We conducted a prospective and descriptive
study of 58 cases of domestic violence victims received in victimology consultation from November 1, 2005 to April
30, 2006. The study included all domestic violence victims who pressed charges at a police or gendarmerie station
however, it did not include cases in which the victim hadn’t pressed charges.
The data was processed with Epi info software. Out of a total of 317 patients received for voluntary assault and
battery during the period of the study, 58 were victims of domestic violence (18.30%). The most affected age range
was the 21 - 30 age group (46.55%) with a mean age of 25. The majority were uneducated women (55.17%). Most
of the victims were of Foulah, Sosso and Maninka ethnicity in the following respective proportions: 29.31%, 24.14%
and 22.41%. Muslim women were the most assaulted at a proportion of 84.48%. Physical (100%) and economic
(82.76%) violence were the most frequent types. The wounding agents were mostly blunt objects (96.55%) or with
blades (31.03%), and the main observed lesions were contusions (96.55%) and bruises (87.93%). In 65.52% of
the victims, the lesions were on the face. 84.48% of the victims received disability leave of less than 8 days, whereas
12.07% had a disability leave of 9 to 25 days and 3.45% obtained a disability leave of greater than 25 days. While
this phenomenon has long been considered in Africa as a social and legal issue, today it is also an integral part
of public health. Therefore, it requires a pluridisciplinary approach