Trends and patterns of sexual assaults in Lagos south-western Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual assault is a severely traumatic experience that disproportionally affects women and girls. Yet there is limited information on the subject in our environment. This study was conducted to determine the trend and pattern of sexual assault among Nigerians. METHODS: A retrospective study of sexual assault victims managed at a large clinic in south west Nigeria. Victims were identified from the programme data base and case files retrieved from medical records department. Relevant information was extracted and managed with SPSS for windows version 19. RESULTS: Steady increase in the proportion of reported cases of sexual violence over the years (P < 0.0001) was observed. Sexual assaults were recorded among the males (6.1%), although female victims were in the majority (93.9%). Sexual assault was found to be higher in person's <20 years and the unmarried. Most sexual assault occurred during the day time. Assailants were mostly persons known to the victim (52.0%) and the assault occurred mostly in the assailants' house or office (48.5%). Sexual assault through vaginal route only (87.2%) was the most common route of sexual assault. Threat of violence (31.1%) and physical force (29.6%) was the common methods for overcoming the victims. Follow up was completed by 75.0% of the victims. CONCLUSION: Sexual assault is common in our environment, with increasing prevalence and change in pattern. Young persons aged less than 20 years constitutes the majority of victims and assailants were mostly persons known to them. The current public education on the evils of sexual violence should be intensified.

Risk of blood splashes to masks and goggles during cesarean section.

INTRODUCTION: The study arose out of concern about the transmission of infectious diseases through mucocutaneous contact with blood and body fluids. The purpose was to identify the risk of blood splashes to masks and goggles during cesarean section. MATERIAL/METHODS: The prospective study spanned 6 months between January and June 1998 to determine the incidence of blood splashes to the masks and goggles of surgeons, assistants, and scrub nurses. All the doctors and scrub nurses who participated in surgery were requested to wear masks and goggles for all the cesarean section cases during the study period. At the end of surgery, the surgeon examined all the masks and goggles for obvious blood splashes and documented these in a data sheet. RESULTS: There were 144 cases of cesarean section performed during the period, of which 13.2% (19) were elective and 86.8% (125) were emergencies. 74.3% (107) of the patients registered for antenatal care and delivered in the institution, while 25.7% (37) cases were not booked but admitted for delivery. The mean age of the parturient and parity were 27.4+/-2.8 years and 5.8+/-2.4, respectively. The rate of blood splashes was 62.5% on the surgeons' masks, 63.2% on surgeons' goggles, 35.4% on assistants' masks, 38.9% on assistants' goggles, 11.1% on scrub nurses' masks, and 16.0% on scrub nurses' goggles. CONCLUSIONS: We therefore recommend the use of masks and protective eye wear as part of routine surgical attire to avoid body fluid contamination that can result in acquiring infectious diseases.