Sexual Assault: Epidemiological Profile and Clinical Aspects at the Brazzaville University Hospital Center

Abstract

Objective: to identify the socio-demographic profile of the alleged victims of sexual assault, to define the characteristics of the aggressors, to describe the types of clinical lesions, and to analyze the link between these different parameters. During the study period, 5620 clients were admitted to gynecological emergencies, including 150 for sexual assault (2.6%). The alleged victims of aggression were 14 years old on average [range: 2-49 years]. Among these clients, there were 147 (98%) women and 3 (2%) men [sex ratio: 0.02]. They had a primary education level of 38%, secondary to 42.7%, and single in 87.2% of cases. Clients came from home (69.3%) or police station (24.7%). The perpetrator was male, with an average age of 25.5 years [range: 16 to 35 years]. Regarding the relationship with the victim, the neighborhood accounted for 83%. The perpetrator was alone in 76.7% of cases, two (14%) or more (16.7%), up to 18. The aggressor's home was the place of aggression (39.3%). The threats were made using knives (49.3%) and firearms (8.5%). The perpetrator used either his sex (79.9%), his fingers (34.2%) or an object (2.7%). The route of entry was vaginal (94.6%), anal (21.7%) and oral (10%). The abuser used the condom in 74.7% of cases. Customers had viewed within 24 hours (40.7%). The general state and hemodynamics at admission was normal for all clients. Physical injuries were injuries (23%) and scrapes (34.5%). External genitalia included perineal tears (28%), vaginal tears (8.6%), hymenal tears (7.3%), and old deflowering (72.7%). The hymen was intact in 20%. The bi-varied analysis found a correlation with a statistically significant difference in the age range of the alleged victims with the number of aggressors, the time of aggression, the path and type of penetration, and the weapon used for the threat.

Sexual assault cases managed at a referral hospital in Western Ethiopia: A retrospective cross-sectional study

“…This is similar to a study conducted at Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (87.8%); 13 Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria (83.5%); 15 and University Hospital Brazzaville, Congo (83%). 17 But the current finding is higher than the study conducted in Kenya (76%). 18 The psychological complications of sexual assault carried out by assailants known to survivors could result in more damaging outcomes than being assaulted by a stranger.…”

“…Unlike other hospital-based studies, 3,6,13,17 in this study there was a patient who died from complications (genital and non-genital injuries) of sexual assault. There were also cases with severe forms of physical injuries, including rectovaginal fistula and fracture.…”

“…Data were collected using checklist which was developed by reviewing different works of literature. 1,3,4,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] A pretest was conducted on 10 (5%) of the samples. All checklists were checked for completeness by the principal investigator.…”

Sexual Assault and Its Psychopathological Repercussions in the Life of Female Students in Northeastern Benin (2023)

“…In Nancy, France, Kolopp et al [20] found a mean age of 23.9 years in 2017. This average age is higher than those found by other authors: Enouani et al [6] in Brazzaville in 2020 (average age: 14 years); Khemakhem et al [21] in Tunisia in 2023 (average age: 10 +/− 3.9 years); Chérif et al [22] in Donka, Guinea in 2021 (mean age: 8 years); Diallo et al [23] This non-negligible difference between the averages could be explained by several factors: the difference in the research setting and the type of population, but also by the search for easy gain at a very early age by some victims, the low socioeconomic level, the sexual curiosity of boys their age and, above all, the lack of sex education among young people.…”

“…Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire [18] To assess sexual functioning, we used the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scale, validated in French in 2012 by Dargis L. et al in Quebec. It comprises 19 questions assessing 06 domains: desire (1, 2); arousal (3,4,5,6); lubrication (7,8,9,10); orgasm (11,12,13); satisfaction (14,15,16); pain (17,18,19).…”