Sociodemographic Characteristics and Forensic Evidence of Sexual Assault Victims

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate sociodemographic characteristics and forensic evidence of sexual assault victims.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Place and Duration of Study: Medicolegal section of Peoples Medical College Hospital (PMCH) and Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Peoples University of Medical & Health Sciences, Nawabshah District Shaheed Benazirabad from 1^st January 2019 to 31^st December 2021.

Methodology: One hundred and forty female victims of sexual assaults were enrolled.

Results: The reports of sexual assaults were higher in females of 15-25 years age group (55.71%) as compared to the age group of 26-35 years (34.29%). With reference to marital status, occupation, and socio-economic class, most of the females were unmarried (66.43%), nonworking (44.29%), and from the lower class (65.71%). A discrepancy was found between positive penetration history (72.14%) and positive laboratory findings (43.57%) which could be attributed to reporting of a sufficient number of sexual assaults after 48 hours (37.86%).

Conclusion: The women of younger age (15-25 years) and having low access to paid employment were more prone to sexual assaults. The time-lapse between the occurrence of incidence and collection of forensic evidence could impact the agreement between penetration history and laboratory analysis.

Keywords: Sociodemographic, Forensic evidence, Sexual assault victim