Which of the following is NOT a commonly observed injury presentation in intimate partner violence?

• A. Head injuries
• B. Oral and dental injuries
• C. Strangulation injuries
• D. Pattern injuries

Answer: (A)

The key idea is recognizing which injury patterns are most characteristic of intimate partner violence and using that pattern recognition to screen and respond. In many cases, injuries from IPV prominently involve the face and mouth, the neck, and patterned marks that reflect the object or hand used (pattern injuries). Strangulation injuries are especially important to identify because they signal high risk of severe harm or death.

Head injuries, while possible, are not as consistently observed as a defining IPV presentation when compared to the others listed. Many IPV assessments emphasize facial/oral trauma, neck injuries including strangulation, and pattern injuries as more common or distinctive indicators, so noting head injuries as NOT commonly observed aligns with that typical pattern picture.