ABSTRACT
Survivors of sexual assault require comprehensive, efficient, and sensitive care as soon as possible after the assault. Survivors have physical and emotional sequelae after sexual assault that must be addressed. This chapter reviews the literature on genital injury prevalence, location of genital injury, injury in consensual intercourse, documentation, common definition of genital injury pattern, skin color, and best practice. In addition, this chapter outlines the forensic examination, and treatment as well as collection of evidence from a victim of sexual assault. Examination after sexual assault is necessary for identification, early intervention, and treatment of physical injuries and for the purpose of collection of forensic evidence from the victim’s body. Specialized training in the forensic examination is advised if not required by each state for physicians and sexual assault nurse examiners.
