Medico-legal study of alleged sexual assault cases in Fayoum and Aswan governorates from 2010 -2016: comparative study

Abstract

Introduction:Sexual assault is one of the most annoying crimes, which occur in all cultures, worldwide. That affects the health, reputation, and safety of the victim, particularly, females. Aim of the study:The present study aims to recognize the most susceptible age group to be sexually assaulted and demonstrate physical injuries associated with the assault. Subjects and Methods:The study included 265 alleged sexual assault cases of different age groups. All participants were examined medico-legally in the Fayoum and Aswan Departments of Forensic Institute. We collected the retrospective data during the period starting from January 2010 to the end of December 2016. Results:The socio-demographic data of the sexually assaulted victims of the study showed a statistically significant association between the age and gender of the studied victims of sexual assault in Fayoum and Aswan. Male victims were more likely to be sexually assaulted in the age group <18 years (89.47%). Female cases in the age group (18-40 years old) in Fayoum were more subjected to sexual assault, while those less than (18 years old) in Aswan were more subjected to sexual assault. Conclusion:Evaluation of physical abuse yields solid medico-legal opinion in most cases. In contrast, the nature of genital and anal injuries was more confusing. That raises a lot of uncertainties. Therefore, rapid medico-legal assessment of the victims of sexual crimes along with the cautious interpretation of findings is advisable.