The physical examination of sexual assault victims is performed to identify and treat
injuries, as well as collect forensic evidence for prosecution. The combination of
colposcopy with digital imaging and staining with contrast media such as toluidine
blue, has led to reports of genital injury prevalence approaching 90% following nonconsensual
sexual intercourse [
[1]
]. Such forensic evidence of anogenital injury influences decision making and legal
outcomes throughout the criminal justice process. Because the examination is based
on scientific evidence, it may influence victims to report their experiences to police,
encourage police to file a complaint, and persuade prosecutors to file rape charges
and pursue a conviction [
[2]
]. For example, McGregor et al. demonstrated that the presence of anogenital trauma
was significantly related to filing of charges by the prosecutor as well as conviction
[
[3]
].Keywords
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References
- Defining patterns of genital injury from sexual assault: a review.Trauma Violence Abuse. 2007; 8: 270-280
- Using colposcopy in the rape exam: health care, forensic, and criminal justice issues.J Forensic Nurs. 2005; 1: 28-34
- Sexual assault forensic medical examination: is evidence related to successful prosecution?.Ann Emerg Med. 2002; 39: 639-647
- Forensic sexual assault examination and genital injury: is skin color a source of health disparity?.Am J Emerg Med. 2008; 26: 857-866
- Source of healthcare disparity: race, skin color, and injuries after rape among adolescents and young adults.J Forensic Nurs. 2010; 6: 144-150
- Patterns of genital injury in female sexual assault victims.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1997; 176: 609-616
- Exploring genitoanal injury and HIV risk among women: menstrual phase, hormonal birth control, and injury frequency and prevalence.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2016; 71: 207-212
Article Info
Publication History
Published online: November 06, 2018
Accepted:
November 5,
2018
Received:
October 30,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
