Indigenous girls face highest assault risk

4 Oct 2012, 12:25 pm   -   Source: AAP
Young indigenous women face the highest rates of injuries from assault in Queensland, a study shows. (AAP)

Young indigenous women face the highest rates of injuries from assault in Queensland, a study shows. (AAP)

Young indigenous women face the highest rates of injuries from assault compared to any other group in Queensland, a study has shown.

Indigenous girls face the highest risk of being injured in an assault compared to any other group in Queensland, a study has found.

The study by the University of Queensland's Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine found indigenous males were the next group most at risk assault-related injuries, followed by non-indigenous males and non-indigenous females.

The study found assault accounted for 10 per cent of all injuries to children under 12 months old, and that 60 per cent of infants with such injuries were girls.

Study author Professor Justin Kenardy said he hoped the findings could be used to direct preventative measures in areas with high levels of assault.

"We hope that these findings will lead to increased awareness of the high risk of assault-related injury in infants as well as adolescents," he said.

"Any response should involve a preventative focus on reduction of violence in families and indigenous communities, and early intervention following traumatic injury."

The study compared injury admissions data from 14 Queensland public hospitals on the Queensland Trauma Registry between January 2005 and December 2008.

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