Characteristics of sexual assaults in which adult victims report penetration by a foreign object

Sturgiss, Elizabeth Ann; Tyson, Alexandra; Parekh, Vanita

doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2009.11.001

« Previous Next »Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 17, Issue 3 , Pages 140-142, April 2010

Characteristics of sexual assaults in which adult victims report penetration by a foreign object

Elizabeth Ann Sturgiss, BMed MPH (Forensic Medical Officer, Sexual Health Registrar)
- Forensic and Medical Sexual Assault Care ACT, PO Box 11, Woden 2606, Australia.
- Canberra Sexual Health Centre, The Canberra Hospital, PO Box 11, Woden 2606, Australia.
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 2 6244 2184; fax: +61 2 6285 3395.
Alexandra Tyson, MB BS MFM (Forensic Medical Officer, Staff Specialist)
- Forensic and Medical Sexual Assault Care ACT, PO Box 11, Woden 2606, Australia.
- Canberra Sexual Health Centre, The Canberra Hospital, PO Box 11, Woden 2606, Australia.
Vanita Parekh, MBChB MFM (Director, Senior Staff Specialist)
- Forensic and Medical Sexual Assault Care ACT, PO Box 11, Woden 2606, Australia.
- Canberra Sexual Health Centre, The Canberra Hospital, PO Box 11, Woden 2606, Australia.

Forensic and Medical Sexual Assault Care ACT, PO Box 11, Woden 2606, Australia

Canberra Sexual Health Centre, The Canberra Hospital, PO Box 11, Woden 2606, Australia

Received 18 February 2009; received in revised form 12 August 2009; accepted 1 November 2009.

Abstract

This retrospective clinical audit reviews cases of adult sexual assault where the victim alleges that they were penetrated with a foreign object. These assaults were more likely to have positive genital and non-genital findings recorded by the clinician compared to assaults where no object was used. There is a suggestion that these assaults may be more violent with multiple assailants more common and an association with more use of threats and weapons. It is important to ask about the penetrative use of foreign objects in a sexual assault history and for clinicians to be aware of the greater possibility of injury in these cases.

Keywords: Sex offenses, Object, Adult