Medico-legal assessment of sexual assault victims in Lahore.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was the medico-legal assessment of sexual assault victims in Lahore, and to know the characteristics of the assailants in these cases. METHODS This study included all 123 female cases of alleged sexual assault that presented for medical examination at the office of the surgeon medico-legal Punjab at Lahore during 2002. RESULTS Around 64% of the victims were between 10-19 years of age, 76% presented for medical examination after a delay of more than 72 hours. The assailant was known to the victim in 57% cases. Two or more assailants were involved in 30% cases. The victims had changed clothes and washed their bodies before the medical examination in 83% cases. Physical evidence of violence on the body was present in only 15% of the victims and evidence of recent injury to the genital tract was present in 18% individuals. However a positive semen analysis was reported in 98.35% of the samples. CONCLUSIONS Sexual assault was more common in younger females. Late presentation for examination was due to the embarrassment of being exposed. A positive semen analysis was the definite factor for confirmation of the assault.

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