Summer is primetime for violence

Violent attacks are more likely in the summer

More people are attacked in the summer months than at any other time of year, according to researchers in Wales.

New evidence compiled in Cardiff suggests that violence may be a seasonal disorder, with more people attacked during the summer months, according to researchers in Wales.

Doctors have long acknowledged the existence of seasonally affective disorder (SAD) - the syndrome which makes many people feel tired and listless during the dark, winter months.

But now a team working at the University of Wales College of Medicine have diagnosed that violent behaviour could also be linked to the change of the seasons.

The findings of Professor Jonathan Shepherd and Dr Vas Sivarajasingham, published this week, reveal that there is more risk of being attacked during the summer than in any other season.

"The ultimate ambition is to use the A&E data in helping people who make the decisions in measures to reduce violence."

Dr Vas Sivarajasingham

Work carried out at casualty units showed that violent assaults peaked between July and September and fell off from February to April.

It is thought that attacks may rise during the summer months because more people spend time outside in public places. Alcohol could also be a factor.

While most attacks traditionally involve young men, those involving women are on the increase, with more becoming involved in street fights and assaults.

The researchers examined the number of victims of violent attacks treated at 33 accident and emergency departments in England and Wales between 1995 and 1998.

The college of medicine, where the findings were assessed

Three-quarters of the victims were men, and almost half of those were aged 18 to 30.

The report said most incidents involving young men occurred as a result of confrontations in public places where "'individual worth and identity" were at stake.

They found significant peaks from July to September in all age groups and among both men and women.

Numbers dropped off between February and April, and there was a slightly smaller peak between November and January - due almost certainly to Christmas.

The report says that A&E departments have an important role in contributing to community safety, measuring the effectiveness of violence prevention initiatives and informing local police strategy.

One of the men behind the report, facial surgeon Dr Vas Sivarajasingham said he saw the findings of the report as important for those studying violent behaviour.

"It's pointing us in the right direction to where research should be focussed," he said. More research was now being done to look at why - and where - the attacks were happening and, he added: "The ultimate ambition is to use the A&E data in helping people who make the decisions in measures to reduce violence."

"It has been suggested that during the summer months, when larger amounts of people are out of doors, there is a greater likelihood of violence," he explained.

"Interpretation of the significant seasonality in attendance is difficult," he went on.

"Nevertheless, the finding that assault injury is a seasonal disorder seems particularly important."