Module 5
Medical Forensic Sexual Assault Examinations: What Are They, and What Can They Tell the Courts?

Purposes of the Medical Forensic Sexual Assault Examination

As noted in the introduction to this module, the medical forensic sexual assault examination is first and foremost a medical examination focused on patients’ physical and mental health and safety needs. The examination integrates evidence collection into the medical examination because combining these steps is best practice from the viewpoint of patient-centered care, sparing patients from a subsequent long and harrowing examination if they decide to report to law enforcement. SANEs report that many of their patients want medical care but do not want to engage with the criminal justice system at that time, if at all. This is an area where victims can benefit from the support of advocates. Enabling victims to preserve evidence while thinking through their reporting options is critically important.

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