Evaluation of the early and late examination in sexually assaulted child
Bora Ozdemir, Osman Celbis
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Abstract
In this paper, we evaluated procedures for performing and timing of the examination in sexually
assaulted child. Priority management in admission must be considered for protecting the child’s
health, since sexually abused child were already physical and psychological disturbed. We have
to avoid receiving repeated history and unnecessary examinations, unless necessary. It almost
certain that the management may not complete in a short time, repeated psychological
examinations are inevitable in this situation. Examination should be considered as beginning of
management and a part of the treatment procedure. Anogenital examination should be
performed at early period and at once, and is important to avoid duplication of the same
examination. In cases of acute sexual assault, emergent examinations are needed to identify
injury, collect forensic evidence, prevent infections and for pregnancy prophylaxis. Since several
signs may appear after a certain time in sexual assault, it is appropriate that control
examinations should be performed after a period. As a result; while avoiding from repeated
examinations, to avoid further trauma in abused child we may cause incomplete examination and
elongation of management. One kept in mind that taking history for examination is different from
expression of the crime.
Keywords : Sexual assault; child abuse; timing of examination.