Improving the forensic genital examination for trans and gender diverse sexual assault complainants: three case reports.

Trans and gender diverse people experience high rates of sexual violence and significant barriers to healthcare, including post-sexual assault healthcare. These barriers could lead to delays in presentations to sexual assault services and a reluctance to having forensic examinations, thereby impacting genital injury assessment and evidence collection. It is therefore important that clinicians working in sexual assault services understand how to best undertake forensic genital examinations, collect forensic genital specimens, and identify and document genital injuries in this population.

The effect of twice-weekly versus once-weekly sessions of either imagery rescripting or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for adults with PTSD from childhood trauma (IREM-Freq): a study protocol for an international randomized clinical trial.

Background: Trauma-focused treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are commonly delivered either once or twice a week. Initial evidence suggests that session frequency affects treatment response, but very few trials have investigated the effect of session frequency. The present study's aim is to compare treatment outcomes of twice-weekly versus once-weekly sessions of two treatments for PTSD related to childhood trauma, imagery rescripting (ImRs) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

Pre-ejaculate fluid in the context of sexual assault: A review of the literature from a clinical forensic medicine perspective.

Much has been written about the presence or absence of spermatozoa in pre-ejaculate fluid (PEF). Published studies only have a small number of participants; their results are conflicting, may be inaccurate and findings have not reached statistical significance. There are potential methodical issues.

Male sexual assault: Physical injury and vulnerability in 103 presentations.

Objectives: To i) describe the demographic and assault characteristics of males alleging recent sexual assault, ii) determine the severity and frequency of general body injury and the frequency of anal and genital injury, iii) identify vulnerability factors and assault characteristics associated with injury.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC), Western Australia.

Talking about Sexuality and Intimacy with Women Spousal Caregivers: Perspectives of Service Providers.

This article reports the findings of an exploratory study examining service provider perceptions and experiences of addressing sexuality and intimacy with women spousal caregivers. The caregiver-provider encounter is examined, and challenges faced by service providers in addressing sexuality are considered. Themes identified include ambivalence and discomfort, personal and institutional barriers, meanings attributed to sexuality and intimacy, and lack of opportunities to discuss experiences.

Sexual assault and general body injuries: A detailed cross-sectional Australian study of 1163 women.

Objectives: To describe the frequency and severity of general body injury in women alleging recent sexual assault and then identify demographic and assault characteristics associated with injury severity.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC), Western Australia.

Capturing sexual assault data: An information system designed by forensic clinicians and healthcare researchers.

Background: The Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC) in Perth, Western Australia provides free 24-hour medical, forensic, and counseling services to persons aged over 13 years following sexual assault.

Objective: The aim of this research was to design a data management system that maintains accurate quality information on all sexual assault cases referred to SARC, facilitating audit and peer-reviewed research.

Methods: The work to develop SARC Medical Services Clinical Information System (SARC-MSCIS) took place during 2007-2009 as a collaboration between SARC and Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia.

Genital and anal injuries: A cross-sectional Australian study of 1266 women alleging recent sexual assault.

Objectives: To describe the frequency of genital and anal injury and associated demographic and assault characteristics in women alleging sexual assault.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC), Western Australia.

Non-fatal strangulation in sexual assault: A study of clinical and assault characteristics highlighting the role of intimate partner violence.

Objective: To describe the prevalence, risk factors, signs and symptoms of non-fatal strangulation (NFS) in women referred to a Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) following recent sexual assault.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using data routinely collected at time of forensic examination of women (age ≥ 13 years) referred to the Western Australian SARC between Jan-2009 and Mar-2015 alleging a recent sexual assault. Data on demographics, assault characteristics and forensic findings were available.

Early evidence kits in sexual assault: an observational study of spermatozoa detection in urine and other forensic specimens.

Purpose: To determine the detection frequency of spermatozoa in early evidence kit specimens and in subsequent full forensic specimens in alleged sexual assault.

Methods: Observational cohort study of 100 consecutive alleged sexual assault cases, presenting in Western Australia between 19th July 2008 and 6th February 2012, with both early evidence kit and full forensic evidence specimen collections. Eighty-eight cases were included in the study.

Genital injury: is it significant? A review of the literature.

The purpose of this review was to critically evaluate the available literature on genital injury in order to facilitate an understanding of its significance in relation to sexual offence trials. Wide variation exists in research objectives, study populations and methodology, hindering interpretation considerably. The most valuable research in this field identifies the range of normal genital findings and those associated with consensual sexual intercourse, to enable interpretation of genital findings in sexual assault victims.