title: Rape victims--assaults, injuries and treatment at a medical rape trauma service at Oslo Emergency Hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe assaults, injuries, and treatment in the 168 patients who attended the medical rape trauma service in 1987. To give an impression of the medico-legal documentation that is required.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rape trauma service (RTS) established at the Emergency Hospital in Oslo. The service is free, open around the clock, and independent of police notification. RTS has standardized the medico-legal report used for rape victims.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients attending RTS from 1 January to 31 December.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-two (49%) patients reported the incident to the police. Two-thirds of the patients were assaulted by strangers, one-fifth by two or more assailants, and 16 were subjected to attempted rape. Weapons were used in 50 of the assaults. Eighty-one patients had physical injuries requiring documentation but no special treatment. Fourteen patients were infected with sexually transmitted diseases, three patients became pregnant. Seventy-eight patients returned for a medical follow-up. As many as 128 patients (76%) needed care from all parts of the emergency medical and psycho-social services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RTS shows that primary health service can be responsible for the treatment of rape victims and for the medico-legal documentation of rape trauma.
authors: Department of General Medicine, Emergency Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Bang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004282:Documentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011247:Pregnancy; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000635:transmission; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology