1. Forensic Aspects of Adult Sexual Violence Cases
Speaker - Dr . Somnath Das
Associate Professor
R. G. Kar Medical College
Kolkata

2. Forensic Pathology Service
Department of Health
Provides forensic pathology and clinical forensic medicine services to government departments

3. Forensic Pathology Service
Operate public mortuaries
Attend scenes of crimes
Clinical medico-legal examinations
Consultation
Court proceedings
Scope of Service

4. Forensic Pathology Service
Medical Staff
Assistants to Forensic Pathologists
Staff

5. Forensic Pathology Service
Public Mortuaries
Histopathology Laboratories
Facilities

6. Examination-Room

7. Office

8. Office

9. Office

10. Sexual Offence
Rape
Adultery
Incest

11. Definition of Sexual Assault
Sexual assault includes:
Penile/vaginal intercourse
Contact between the genitals and mouth
Contact between an anus and a penis
Penetration of the vagina or anus with a foreign object, including a finger
Slide 11
Sexual Assault Risk Reduction Curriculum 2001

12. Non-Physical Violence
The threat of violence
Threatening to tell that they had sex if they don’t
Threatening to hurt self if they don’t have sex
Slide 12
Sexual Assault Risk Reduction Curriculum 2001

13. Victim & Suspect Gender Factors
Slide 13
Sexual Assault Risk Reduction Curriculum 2001

14. Non-stranger Assault – Age Factor
Age unknown
Slide 14
Sexual Assault Risk Reduction Curriculum 2001

15. Sexual Assault Risk Reduction Curriculum 2001
Who is a Non-Stranger?
Boyfriend
Co-worker/classmate
Long time friend
Relative
Someone from the neighborhood
Someone you just met
Slide 15
Sexual Assault Risk Reduction Curriculum 2001

16. Forensic Examination of Victims of Sexual Violence
Evidence (physical / laboratory)
Sexual intercourse
injury to private parts
presence of semen
Non-consensual
pattern of injuries
toxicological examination

17. Forensic Examination of Victims of Sexual Violence
Medical treatment must take priority
SAFETY OF VICTIM COMES FIRST!!

18. Examination Suite Accessibility Security (restricted, lock)
Cleanliness / Comfortableness (warm)
Privacy (view & sound, entry & exit)
Enough space

19. Examination Suite Waiting area Examination area
Equipment (couch, lighting, magnifying glass, swabs, specimen containers, water)
Toilet

20. Forensic Examination of Adult Rape Victims
Consent
History
Physical Examination
general examination
genito-anal examination
Sample collection
Documentation and reporting

21. Consent Informed Voluntary Capacity guardian invoke Part IVC
guardianship board

22. History What signs to look for What samples to take
How to interpret findings

23. History Routine background Medical Gynaecological Sexual What happened
“…The victim should not be asked to describe the assault repeatedly …”

24. Physical Examination
General examination
Genito-anal examination

25. General Examination

26. General Examination General appearance Upper arms, forearms and hands
Face, ears, lips
Scalp
Neck
Breasts
Abdomen
Thighs and Legs
Hips and Buttocks

27. Non genito-anal injuries
Bruises and contusions (e.g. inner aspect of thighs, scalp, face, lips);
Lacerations (e.g. scalp, forearm);
Ligature marks (e.g. ankles, wrists and neck);
Pattern injuries (i.e. fingertip marks, scratch marks, bite marks, factitious self-inflicted injuries)

28. Defensive Injuries

29. Road Surface Injuries

30. Lip Bruising

31. Fingertip Bruising

32. Genito-anal Examination
Inspection, labial traction
Swabs
Speculum
Anal +/- digital +/- proctoscope

33. Genito-anal Examination

34. Forensic Specimens Vulval / vaginal / endocervical swabs
Buccal swabs – for DNA profiling Other swabs (e.g. anal, oral, breasts)
Fingernail (clipping / scraping)
Pubic hair
Clothing / debris
+/- Toxicological samples (blood, urine)

35. Forensic Specimens Vulval / vaginal / endocervical swabs
Buccal swabs – for DNA profiling Other swabs (e.g. anal, oral, breasts)
Fingernail (clipping / scraping)
Pubic hair
Clothing / debris
+/- Toxicological samples (blood, urine)

36. Opinion of A Forensic Expert (provisional)

37. Final Opinion of A Forensic Expert

38. Forensic Evidence & FP’s role
Factual evidence v Expert evidence
Impartial, for court and justice, not for either side
Non-judgmental (we are not jurors)
Objective, disinterested, independent, uninfluenced
Opinion: scientific method applied on available data
Limited to field of expertise

39. Thank You