NCJ Number
145390
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (1993) Pages: 113-117
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Medical assessments of children and adolescents who have been raped require five essential components: care of injuries, evaluation of risk of pregnancy and preventive care, prophylactic treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, collection of evidence, and crisis intervention and supportive counseling.
Abstract
The latter component may be the most useful contact between the examining physician and the victim, and is most important in preventing further psychological distress. As a result of 15 years of cooperation with the county attorney, the Sexual Assault Resource Service in Minneapolis has changed the type of evidence it collects from victims. Physical evidence is collected to demonstrate that recent sexual contact occurred, to prove that force was used, and to identify the assailant. In most cases, this means that the victim's clothing and samples of the victim's hair will not be useful in the courtroom. Swabs from the external genitalia are often key in identifying the presence of semen.