Implementation of medical examination and forensic analyses in the investigation of sexual assaults against adult women: a retrospective study of police files and medical journals.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the implementation of medical examination and forensic analysis in the police investigation of sexual assaults, and compare police-reported cases with and without medico-legal examination of the victim.


METHODS
A retrospective study of all police-reported sexual assaults against women in the county of Sør-Trøndelag, Norway, January 1997-June 2003. Information from the police files was merged with information from the only specialized health care system in the region, the Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC), St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim.


RESULTS
Of the 185 police-reported cases identified, 101 (55%) involved women examined at the SACC. A medical report was requested in 83% of the latter, while forensic analyses of biological samples from the victim's body were performed in a mere 29%. In cases without examination at the SACC, there was more likely assault outside the city, over one week's delay between the assault and police-reporting, over one assault reported, and assault coded as attempted rape, while vaginal penetration was less likely. Adjusting for delay of reporting, geographical closeness to health care remained predictive of medical examination. Only 16% of the cases were prosecuted.


CONCLUSIONS
The police requested a medical report in most cases where the victim had undergone examination, while a minority of collected biological samples was analyzed. Consequently, a vigilant and thorough documentation of mental state, physical injuries and history of assault should be emphasized.
Stene
Lise Eilin
LE
Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Medisinsk teknisk forskningssenter, N-7489 Trondheim, Norway. lise.e.stene@ntnu.no
Ormstad
Kari
K
Schei
Berit
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D009664:Norway; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016495:Police; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012661:Semen; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D009294:Narcotics; D000431:Ethanol