NCJ Number
189292
Journal
Trauma, Violence, & Abuse: A Review Journal Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: July 2001 Pages: 240-258
Date Published
July 2001
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This literature review attempts to shed light on current knowledge about the pattern and location of genital injuries caused by forced sexual intercourse.
Abstract
Although sexual assault is one of the fastest growing and most violent crimes in America today, there is much to learn about the best strategies for completing the forensic examination. Three mechanisms for genital examination following sexual assault include direct visualization, staining, and colposcopy. In survivors of sexual assault, reported rates of genital injury vary, with investigators using direct visualization reporting the lowest rates (5 to 53 percent) and investigators using colposcopy technique reporting the highest (68 to 87 percent). The location of genital injury is important because it may be a way to differentiate consensual from nonconsensual sex. The article concludes that, as the science develops, the severity, location, and pattern of genital injuries may be used to draw conclusions about the nature and intent of an assault. The article observes that knowledge about the role of physical injury during sexual assault and its relationship to prosecution and conviction rates can guide examiners to provide details that will enhance successful prosecutions. It expresses the hope that science will support the claim that a subtle and distinctive pattern of injury, not just evidence of serious injury, can corroborate nonconsensual sex. Tables, figures, references, bibliography