Home is Where the Hurt is: An Econometric Analysis of Injuries Caused By Spousal Assault

Abstract

Using data on injuries presenting at the Emergency Departments of participating hospitals in the Australian state of Queensland we examine the nature of injuries resulting from spousal assault and compare them to injuries from non-spousal assault and accidental injuries. We ask: who are the persons most vulnerable to spousal assault? Are spousal assault injuries more (or less) severe than injuries from non-spousal assault and accidental injuries? Do the recorded figures for assault injuries on women understate the true number of assault injuries and, if so, by how much?