Genital injuries: Are they telling us something about sexual violence?

Abstract Genital injury has a forensic relevance after a sexual assault and it has been discussed and investigated among professionals who work in this field. To analyze the studies published in the last decades, the present review examines different factors that may influence this finding, first clarifying terms of the forensic field, such as the peculiarity of the legal medical examination, and the distinction of the terms "legal" and "anatomical" vagina. Finally, it analyses if it is possible that the existence of these injuries in victims explain the lack of consent in sexual contact, and to clarify the meaning of the absence of injuries.

Clinical significance of genital injury, detection of sperm, acid phosphatase activity, prostate specific acid phosphatase activity as proof of rape / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: By examining the rates of genital injury, sperm detection, significant acid phosphatase (ACP) and prostate specific acid phosphatase (PAP) activity of 633 women reported that they were raped, we analyzed the significance of these factors as proof of rape. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of genital injury, sperm detection, ACP and PAP activity of 633 women who had visited National Police Hospital to report forced sexual intercourse from September 1st, 2005 to March 31st, 2007. RESULTS: The rate of having genital injuries was 16.27% and the rate of detecting sperm in vagina was 36.6% in 633 female victims. The total detection rate of ACP (>300 U/L) was 30.4% and the detection rate of ACP (>300 U/L) was lower than 50% if the time interval was over 24 hrs after being raped even though sperm was detected in vaginal smear. The ACP activity and PAP activity showed almost same results. CONCLUSION: The rates of genital injury, sperm detection, significant ACP activity (>300 U/L) were lower than we expected. Therefore even though these factors are important evidences proving that the victims were raped, it is not easy to conclude that the victims were not raped just because these factors does not fully supporting the case.