Retrospective Observational Study on Relevance of Delayed Clinical Examination in Cases of Sexual Assault Survivor

Abstract

Rape is a heinous crime that can have devastating effects on the survivor, The immediate medical examination and treatment of a rape survivor are crucial for their well-being and to-gather the necessary evidence to strengthen the case. Proper evidence collection is important for a successful legal prosecution. The earlier a survivor arrives for evaluation in the emergency department, the greater the chance of obtaining critical forensic evidence such as DNA samples. When patients delay presentation, or shower and change their clothes, relevant microscopic and macroscopic evidence is often lost. Evidence collection, including injury documentation, becomes less fruitful as time passes and tissue heals. Medical documentation has been shown to be positively associated with filing of charges and conviction. A Retrospective analysis of 67 cases of sexual assault examined at Department of Forensic Medicine at SMS medical college from 1st Jan to 31st Oct, 2020 was done, The clinical findings of the survivors were correlated to the time duration elapsed between incidence and medico-legal examination for all cases. 15 out of 67 cases (22%) were reported within 72 hrs; out of which 9 (60%) cases had corroborative clinical findings, 45 (67%)cases, who had reported later than 7 days only 1 (2%) had corroborative clinical findings. delayed reporting is most common hurdle for corroboration of material evidence and alleged accusation in these cases, The correlation of time of examination and clinical findings, in the present study, questions the relevance of mandatory medical examination in all cases.