NCJ Number
145391
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (1993) Pages: 117-119
Date Published
1993
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Washington State has recently revised and standardized its medical forensic sexual assault protocol.
Abstract
While child sexual abuse cases have been successfully prosecuted even without corroborating physical evidence, the compulsive accurate forensic medical evaluation in these cases remains critical. Physicians in Washington State test and treat prophylactically sexual abuse victims for Hepatitis B, which is strongly associated with the transmission of HIV. There are also new antibiotic choices for the treatment and prophylaxis of other sexually transmitted diseases, particularly gonorrhea and chlamydia. Forensic samples of hair, saliva, or blood can be collected from the victim at a later date if required by the court; postponing the collection of these samples avoids storage problems as well as additional discomfort for the victim at the time of the initial assessment. Current protocols for child sexual abuse cases are extrapolated from adult studies; future research should focus on forensics as they relate specifically to child sexual abuse. 5 references