Intimate Partner Violence in French Guiana: Descriptive Study from June 2019 to December 2020 at the Medico-Judicial Unit of Cayenne Hospital
English version of a poster presented in French.
Margaux Fouillet1,2✉, Angélique Franchi1
- 1 Service de Médecine Légale – Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne, Cayenne
- 2 Département Universitaire de Médecine Générale, Université des Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre
Received 8 October 2026 · Accepted 8 October 2026 · Published 8 October 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23245577
Article PDF · Original poster (PDF)
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Key messages
- Les violences conjugales en Guyane touchent majoritairement des femmes jeunes, souvent en situation de vulnérabilité.
- Une proportion importante des victimes présente un danger imminent nécessitant une prise en charge urgente.
- L’amélioration du repérage et de la prise en charge des victimes passe par des outils adaptés et la collaboration avec les associations locales.
Abstract
Introduction
The cycle of intimate partner violence is a phenomenon of control and domination by a current or former intimate partner, intensifying over time. One in three women worldwide is a victim of physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner. In French Guiana, two young pregnant women were killed by their partners in 2020. The objective was to describe and analyze the sociodemographic, clinical, and medico-legal characteristics of victims and situations of intimate partner violence seen at the Medico-Judicial Unit (UMJ) of Cayenne Hospital.
Materials and methods
Observational, descriptive, retrospective, monocentric study. Inclusion criteria: female and male victims over 15 years and 3 months old, who suffered one or more types of intimate partner violence from a current or former partner, examined at the UMJ of Cayenne Hospital between 01/06/2019 and 31/12/2020. Data collected from computerized medico-legal files. Statistical analysis performed with Excel and STATA, with percentages and 95% confidence intervals.
Results
A total of 466 victims were included in the study, the majority of whom were women (93%) with an average age of 33. Most lived on the central coast and were foreign nationals. The violence often occurred at the victim’s home, particularly in the evening. Fifty-nine percent of the children witnessed the violence, and 19% were abused. Seventy-one percent of the victims had experienced previous violence. An incident report was filed for 80% of the victims; 58% filed a complaint with the gendarmerie; and 75% sought care at the UMJ within 3 days. A score indicating imminent danger (≥ 4/9) was found in 55% of cases.
Conclusion
Intimate partner violence acts are often severe, repeated, and affect vulnerable victims. This study represents the tip of the iceberg, highlighting the need for victimization surveys across the territory. Improving detection and care involves screening tools, pre-complaint procedures, computerized reporting forms, and promotion of local associations.
Original poster
References
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- Leite FMC, Luis MA, Amorim MHC, Maciel ELN, Gigante DP. Violence against women and its association with the intimate partner’s profile: a study with primary care users. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2019 Dec 5;22:e190056.
- Guiquet-Auclair C, Boyer B, Djabour K, Ninent M, Verneret-Bord E, Vendittelli F, Debost-Legrand A. Validation of the French Women Abuse Screening Tool to routinely identify intimate partner violence. Eur J Public Health. 2021 Oct 26;31(5):1064-1069.
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