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Kletečka-Pulker M, Doppler K, Völkl-Kernstock S, Fischer L, Eitenberger M, Mussner M, Klomfar S, Mora-Theuer EA, Grylli C, Atanasov AG, Greber-Platzer S. Influence of various factors on the legal outcome of cases of child abuse-experiences gathered at an interdisciplinary forensic examination center in Vienna, Austria. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:3-14. [PMID: 37828300 PMCID: PMC10772007 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03094-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To improve the currently low conviction rate in cases of child abuse a forensic examination center for children and adolescents (FOKUS) was established in Vienna, Austria. Besides a state of the art treatment combined with forensic documentation, one of FOKUS' key goals is to identify potential areas for improvements within the process legal proceedings in cases of child abuse through constant scientific monitoring. The accompanying study at hand includes all patients referred to FOKUS within a two year timeframe (n = 233), monitoring their progression from first contact with the medical professionals from FOKUS to the end of criminal proceedings. A detailed analysis of case files was performed in those cases that were reported to the legal authorities by the clinicians of FOKUS (n = 87). Aim of the study is to investigate which factors contribute to the initiation of legal proceedings and a successful conviction. RESULTS Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that main proceedings were opened more often in cases where the offender was an adult (p < 0.001) or admitted his guilt (p < 0.001) and if digital traces were available (p = 0.001) or trial support (p = 0.024) present. Furthermore, the combined occurrence of medical documentation and victim disclosure was related to a higher probability of opening main trials. CONCLUSION These findings underline how challenging the successful persecution of an offender in cases of child abuse is.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kletečka-Pulker
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety (LBI-DHPS), Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, Währinger Straße 104/10, 1180, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Ethics and Law in Medicine, University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 2-4, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Klara Doppler
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety (LBI-DHPS), Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, Währinger Straße 104/10, 1180, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Ethics and Law in Medicine, University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 2-4, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabine Völkl-Kernstock
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety (LBI-DHPS), Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, Währinger Straße 104/10, 1180, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura Fischer
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety (LBI-DHPS), Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, Währinger Straße 104/10, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Magdalena Eitenberger
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety (LBI-DHPS), Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, Währinger Straße 104/10, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark Mussner
- Institute for Ethics and Law in Medicine, University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 2-4, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sophie Klomfar
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety (LBI-DHPS), Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, Währinger Straße 104/10, 1180, Vienna, Austria
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Anna Mora-Theuer
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Chryssa Grylli
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Atanas G Atanasov
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Patient Safety (LBI-DHPS), Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, Währinger Straße 104/10, 1180, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, 05-552, Magdalenka, Poland
| | - Susanne Greber-Platzer
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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