Sexual assault is a prevalent crime in our society that has a devastating and long-term impact on individuals from all walks of life. Although an assault can be traumatizing in and of itself, it can result in a range of problems for the victim, such as mental anguish, physical injuries, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).[1] It is essential that communities offer assistance to victims in the immediate aftermath of an assault. Communities must also work to hold offenders accountable for their actions and stop them from committing further sexual violence. Elements of response typically include the following:

• Provision of medical care for victims as needed;
• Collection of evidence from victims, which may aid investigation and prosecution;
• Investigation of reports of sexual assault, which may lead to charges against suspects and prosecution;
• Support, crisis counseling, information and referrals for victims, as well as advocacy to ensure that victims receive appropriate assistance; and
• Support and information for victims' families and friends.

This document focuses on elements of immediate response that are the responsibility of health care providers—medical care for sexual assault patients and collection of evidence from them. It seeks to assist health care personnel in validating and addressing patients' health concerns, minimizing the trauma patients may experience, promoting healing, and maximizing the collection and preservation of evidence from patients for potential use in the legal system. (A sexual assault medical forensic examination as described in this document addresses both evidence collection from patients and medical care for serious injuries).

This protocol also addresses the role of advocates, law enforcement representatives, prosecutors, forensic scientists, and other responders in the medical forensic exam process. For various reasons, many sexual assault victims choose not to seek medical care or have evidence collected; however, coordination among professionals involved in immediate response may be instrumental in reversing this trend. It is often found that victims will seek assistance when responders work together to ensure that victims are informed of their options for assistance, encouraged to address their needs, and aided in obtaining the help they want. In addition, multidisciplinary coordination may enhance medical care provided to victims as well as evidence collection and preservation efforts.[2]