title: DNA transfer through nonintimate social contact.
abstract: The UK and Ireland Association of Forensic Science Providers' (AFSP) Body Fluid Forum (BFF) set out to assist in the interpretation of sexual offence cases where semen is absent on vaginal swabs but female DNA is present on penile swabs or male underwear, and the issue to be addressed is whether or not sexual intercourse occurred. This study aims to investigate the frequency and amount of female DNA transferred to the penis and underwear of males following staged nonintimate social contact with females and to compare the findings with the amount of female DNA transferred to the penis and subsequently to the underwear of a male who had engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse with a female. In this study, no matching female DNA was detected on the inside front of the 44 items of male underwear used in this research following staged contact of a nonintimate nature and subsequent secondary transfer to the penis. After sexual intercourse, full profiles matching the female participant were found on the inside front of the males underwear with maximum peak heights in the range between 1898 and 3157 rfu. It was possible to demonstrate that DNA can occasionally transfer to the waistband and outside front of underwear worn by a male following staged nonintimate social contact. Data obtained in this study suggest that a matching female DNA profile below a peak height of 1000 rfu on the waistband of a male's underwear might be explained by nonintimate social contact with secondary transfer of female DNA from the male's hands.
authors.affiliation: SPA Forensic Services, Nelson Street, Aberdeen, Scotland AB24 5EQ, United Kingdom. Electronic address: sarah.jones@spa.pnn.police.uk.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: SPA Forensic Services, Nelson Street, Aberdeen, Scotland AB24 5EQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Cellmark Forensic Services, 16 Blacklands Way, Abingdon Business Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 1DY, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Cellmark Forensic Services, Unit B1, Buckshaw Link, Ordnance Road, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 7EL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science Service Ltd, 109 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7LP, United Kingdom(1).
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Allard
authors.affiliation: LGC Forensics, Building 3, Drayton Manor Business Park, Coleshill Road, Tamworth B78 3GL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lowrie
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science Laboratory, Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science Laboratory, Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.affiliation: SPA Forensic Services, Rushton Court, 3 West Victoria Dock Road, Dundee, Scotland DD1 3JT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teppett
authors.affiliation: SPA Forensic Services, Pitt Street, Glasgow, Scotland G2 4JS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: SPA Forensic Services, 11 Howden Hall Road, Edinburgh, Scotland EH16 6TF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Clayson
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science Northern Ireland, 151 Belfast Road, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland BT38 8PL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baird
mesh_terms: D003020:Clothing; D003075:Coitus; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014110:Touch
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: Body fluid forum; DNA transfer; Sexual intercourse; Social contact