Encroachment on the life and health of a citizen is an act punishable under the Criminal Code. Group beatings are classified as a more serious crime than similar violence committed by one person. Punishment for beatings inflicted by several people is not established in a separate article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This is an additional aggravating circumstance that makes it possible to assign the maximum degree of responsibility to a group of criminals.
Features of group beating
Battery by a group of people implies tougher punishment for the criminals. Two, three, or more people can take part in a mass beating. Almost always, attacks are carried out by prior criminal conspiracy. The reasons for aggression may be related to religious, racial, and political views. There are cases when a person is beaten for hooligan reasons or due to personal hostility. The defendant in such a crime is always an individual.
Corpus delicti
Beating is considered to be the intentional infliction of injury accompanied by pain. In this case, the criminal can not only carry out blows, but also use strangulation, pinches, and bites. The degree of damage to the body may vary. Sometimes the victim only receives abrasions and bruises. More severe cases result in prolonged disability and loss of function of individual organs. To bring charges against criminals, all injuries must be recorded by medical specialists. Only in this case can a criminal case be initiated and the perpetrator held accountable. When considering a case of beating, factors such as:
- the fault of the victim in the incident;
- self-defense of the accused.
To classify a beating as a group crime, it is necessary to find out how many people took part in it, and whether they had a prior conspiracy.
Qualifying features
To establish the punishment for criminals, several basic conditions are taken into account:
- the degree of harm caused to the person;
- number of attackers;
- motives for the crime;
- age of the victim;
- preliminary preparation for beating.
The determining parameter is the degree of harm caused to the victim’s health. In accordance with this, the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for several articles to qualify a crime:
- Article 111 defines liability in the event that a person is seriously injured. Because of them, a person loses the opportunity to work for a long time. The victim's ability to work is reduced by at least one third. In some cases, injuries can be life-threatening. Liability under this article is aggravated when the beating resulted in loss of vision, hearing, individual organs, mental disorders, or termination of pregnancy.
- Article 112 deals with less severe injuries. The damage considered in it will be classified as harm of moderate severity. In this case, there is no threat to life, but the result of the beating may be long-term treatment and long-term disability. Aggravating factors under this article, in addition to the participation of a group of people, are beatings of minors and helpless people.
- Article 115 deals with beatings that cause minor harm to health. The victim needs to undergo treatment, after which the ability to work is restored. The fact of using weapons or items replacing them increases the degree of responsibility under the article. Sometimes they are used to threaten the victim.
- Article 116 deals with cases of beating without causing harm to health. The only downside is physical pain. Circumstances aggravating the crime will be hooliganism and manifestation of hostility towards the victim.
- Article 117 makes it a crime to commit systematic beatings.
- Article 138 regulates the punishment of criminals who beat a government official while he is on duty. In this case, the victim is no longer considered simply as a citizen, but as an employee performing government duties. The degree of responsibility of the perpetrators will depend on the danger of the beatings inflicted on the life of the victim.
Depending on how much the victim suffered, the punishment will be determined according to one of these articles.
How to remove a hematoma from the face
Treatment of a hematoma on the face should be carried out according to a special scheme: on the day of injury, it is recommended to apply cold compresses, and the next day to begin warming up the bruised area. It is recommended to combine heat compresses with medications or folk remedies that have a resolving, healing and analgesic effect.
Cold treatment
Before removing a bruise on the face, cold should be used as a first aid measure. To make a hematoma on the face after a blow less “picturesque”, you should apply ice wrapped in a thin cloth to the site of the injury as soon as possible. If there are no ready-made ice cubes in the refrigerator, any frozen food (meat, processed foods, vegetables, berries), a bottle of ice water or cold metal objects (coin, spoon, etc.) will do.
Ice should be applied to the bruise and removed after 20 minutes. Every 3 minutes, the cold compress should be briefly removed from the face to prevent frostbite of the skin and hypothermia of the soft tissues. The procedure can be repeated after 1-1.5 hours.
Heat treatment
A warm heating pad, a bag of salt or a plastic bottle filled with warm water will help get rid of a hematoma on the face. Warming up with moderate heat is allowed only on the 2-3rd day after injury.
The procedure will speed up the resorption of the bruise and bring the moment of recovery closer.
To remove a hematoma on the face, it is recommended to warm up the bruise three times a day for 15-20 minutes.
Folk remedies
Simple means at hand can help you quickly get rid of a bruise on your face. Below are the most effective recipes used by traditional healers:
- Pass 6 plantain leaves and 1 onion through a meat grinder or chop in a blender. Add 3 tbsp. l. honey and mix thoroughly. Apply the mixture in the form of a compress to the bruised area, then rinse with warm water.
- Dilute apple cider vinegar with water in equal proportions. Moisten a cotton pad or gauze folded in several layers with the solution and apply to the hematoma.
- Lightly beat the leaves of white cabbage or freshly picked plantain with a kitchen hammer and apply to the bruised area.
- Pass 100 g of horseradish root and cabbage leaves through a meat grinder. Add 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil (sunflower, olive, corn) and mix well.
- Grind fresh beets and peeled walnuts in a 1:1 ratio using a meat grinder. Apply the mixture to the injured area as a compress. Nuts in this recipe can be replaced with buckwheat honey.
Folk remedies relieve pain well and promote rapid resorption of bruises. It is recommended to apply medicinal compresses according to traditional medicine recipes 3-5 times a day and keep them for 15-20 minutes.
Pharmacy drugs
To treat bruises on the face, you can use medical and cosmetic preparations:
- Heparin ointment, Hepatrombin, Hepavenol Plus, Lyoton, Thrombocide. They improve blood flow, dilate capillaries, relieve pain, swelling and inflammation. They help to cure a hematoma in a short period of time and restore a radiant appearance to the face. Frequency of application: daily 2-3 times a day. The effect of ointments with heparin is enhanced by the simultaneous use of anticoagulants, acetylsalicylic acid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Troxevasin, Troxerutin. They improve microcirculation of blood and lymph, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and increase their elasticity, accelerate the resorption of blood clots, eliminate pain, swelling and symptoms of inflammation.
- Bruise-off. It has a complex effect - therapeutic and toning. The gel improves microcirculation, relieves swelling, resolves hematomas and masks bruises.
- Rescuer. Accelerates the healing of damaged tissues and helps get rid of bruises in a short time. It is recommended to use the balm to treat bruises that have damaged the integrity of the skin (abrasions, scratches, cuts, wounds).
- Badyaga Forte, Badyaga-911. The preparations contain freshwater sponge extract, which activates blood circulation and promotes the resorption of hematomas. Ointments cause a rush of blood and redness of the skin, so they require careful use.
- Deep Relief, Girudalgon, Ketonal, Bystrumgel, Dolobene. The drugs contain active substances that have an analgesic effect (ibuprofen, levomenthol, ketoprofen). Ointments of this group are recommended to be combined with anticoagulants and used in cases where the patient is bothered not only by the external manifestations of the hematoma, but also by severe pain.
Solpadeine, Pentalgin and other painkillers will help relieve unbearable pain from hematomas on the face. Before starting to use any preparations for external and internal use, you must carefully study the instructions and make sure there are no contraindications.
How to prove a crime and where to go
The first step for a victim after a beating should be to go to a medical facility. They will not only provide the necessary assistance, but will also issue a document confirming the presence of bodily injuries. It will become the basis for filing a claim against the criminal. When making entries in the medical record and temporary disability sheet, doctors must indicate in them the nature of the injuries received. The victim should ensure that even minor bruises and bruises are described. To determine the severity of the harm caused, a forensic medical examination will be required. These documents, in addition to proving the guilt of the criminals, will become one of the justifications for the amount of compensation for damage.
After a person has suffered from an attack and beating, he must definitely turn to law enforcement agencies to protect his rights. Not only Russians, but also citizens of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, China and any other countries have the right to write a statement to the police about beating. The location of the appeal will depend on whether the identity of the attackers is known. More often than not, victims of crime write a statement to the police. Its employees will conduct an investigation, collect evidence and take measures to apprehend those responsible. If the criminals are known and there are documents confirming their actions, you can file an application with the court or prosecutor's office. The testimony of witnesses plays an important role in proving the fact of beating. It is difficult to obtain them on the spot, but many victims can collect contact information of people who saw the circumstances of the incident. If photographs and videos of the crime remain, they can be used as evidence.
Important! It is advisable for the victim to begin to act immediately after the beating, so that police officers quickly receive information and begin working to apprehend the criminals. And in the first hours after an injury, it is easier for medical workers to describe the nature of the beating.
Types and causes of appearance
A bruise on the face can appear for various reasons. Most often, this is a bruise or injury resulting from a fight, beating, fall, accident, failure to comply with safety regulations, or an accidental impact on door frames or protruding corners of furniture. The cause of hematoma formation can be surgical interventions or complex cosmetic procedures.
Vascular ruptures and hemorrhages under the skin often worry people with bleeding disorders and fragile capillary walls.
In such patients, even a careless touch of the hands or a sharp turn of the head can provoke the appearance of a bruise.
The location of the bruise, its size and the presence of associated complications affect the duration and treatment regimen for the hematoma.
On the forehead
A hematoma on the forehead is the consequences of a blow to the frontal part of the skull. Most often, such injuries occur in restless children exploring the world around them. Cases of painful bumps and bruises in adults are the result of a collision with a hard surface or heavy object.
Strong blows to the head can cause a concussion. If, in addition to a bruise and swelling on the forehead, a person has convulsions, nausea or vomiting, vision has sharply decreased, lips have turned blue, consciousness has become confused, and movements have been inhibited, it is necessary to urgently go to the hospital.
Under the eyes
Subcutaneous hematomas under the eyes can be the result of a blow to the bridge of the nose, temple, or directly to the eye area.
Damage to the walls of blood vessels can occur without traumatic exposure. Dark circles under the eyes are more likely to appear in people with fragile capillaries located under the skin.
On the cheeks
A bruise on the cheek most often appears after a blow or dental procedures.
A similar complication can be caused by a pain-relieving injection into the gum or removal of a wisdom tooth.
On the lower jaw
A hematoma on the face from a blow to the jaw is often accompanied by impaired function of chewing and swallowing food. Bruises on the lower jaw can appear after unsuccessful tooth extraction, a fight, or a domestic or work injury.
What is the punishment?
If minor harm is caused to the victim, the offender will be given a fine of up to 40,000 rubles and correctional labor. Possible arrest for up to 1 year. In the case of a serious crime, the perpetrator can be punished with imprisonment for up to 15 years. The degree of guilt for a group beating will be determined by the severity of the beating and the presence of aggravating circumstances.
Persons who commit a beating face receiving punishment in the form of imprisonment:
- a minor citizen;
- a representative of the authorities in the performance of official duty;
- with the use of weapons;
- by prior arrangement;
- for hooligan purposes.
When considering a crime, in addition to the degree of harm to health, various aggravating circumstances are taken into account. Among them may be:
- use of weapons or similar items;
- complicity in a crime of several persons;
- the presence of hostility for political, racial, religious and other reasons;
- assault on a government employee in the performance of his official duties;
- committing a crime for hire.
These factors significantly increase the degree of responsibility of criminals. Thus, if you participate in a group beating, the accused will no longer be given a fine or correctional labor.
Definition of battery
What it is? Battery is recognized as the intentional infliction of bodily harm in the form of abrasions, bruises and other injuries that do not pose serious harm to health and do not force the citizen to temporary disability.
Aggravating circumstances will be the actions of not just one attacker, but a group of people, and if the motives of the attackers were related to racial, religious or ideological hostility, then the punishment will become even more severe.
Group beatings are condemned more severely than such violence committed individually.
Liability of minors
Fights between groups of teenagers are very common. Criminal liability for beating a person under an article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation begins at the age of 16. For certain offenses, which include various types of beatings, you can receive punishment from the age of 14. If the crime is committed for the first time, the court may limit itself to compensation for moral and material damage to the injured party. Parents or guardians will be required to pay all costs, including medical and legal expenses. If they participate in a group beating again, juvenile offenders face more severe punishment.
Article for beating police officers and authorities
The legislator singled out violent actions against law enforcement officers from the group of crimes against the individual and included them in the chapter of socially dangerous acts that are directed against the authorities as a whole.
A person who decides to encroach on the interests of a civil servant can be punished on the basis of the disposition of Art. 318 CC.
It notes the unlawful nature of violence or the threat of force against employees who perform a state function to ensure order in the provided territory.
So, the punishment under Art. 318 CC:
- The subject may be limited to a fine of up to 200,000 thousand rubles.
- Arrest up to 6 months.
- If the beatings were significant, the judge can imprison you for up to 5 years.
Please note: if there is a threat to life from the actions of the criminal, the punishment increases to the widow's age (up to 10 years in prison).
