The study included 14,316 consecutive victims of violence registered by Odense University Hospital and/or the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Southern Denmark from 1991-2002. The incidence rate was 9.9 and 3.4 per 1,000 population/year for males and females respectively. The incidence rate for males decreased during the period of the study. The proportion of less serious lesions increased and the proportion of potential severe lesions such as bone fractures and deep lesions decreased during the period of the study. The proportion of patients with injuries from knives or firearms did not change during the period of the study.