Statement of the DGGG - Recommendations on the Care and Support of Female Minors Suspected of Having Been Subjected to Acute Sexual Violence or Rape

Abstract

Objective The recommendations presented here aim tofurther improve and standardise the medical care of personsaffected by sexual violence, particularly female minors in Germanywho have been raped. The recommendations are primarilyaddressed to gynaecologists working in hospitals orprivate practices and complement the detailed child protectionguidelines of the Federal Republic of Germany.Method After an extensive selective search of the literature,these recommendations were compiled by an interdisciplinarygroup of experts in a three-stage process at the request of theBoard of the DGGG and were adopted by consensus.Summary This DGGG Statement is divided into two partsaccording to the age of the affected person (about 14 to17 years of age/pubertal; 0 to about 13 years of age/prepubertal).There are medical, structural and forensic reasonsfor this. The Statement provides many recommendations,ranging from how to deal with minors presumed to be victimsof acute sexual violence or rape, to the initial emergency care,type of care (e.g., confidential securing of evidence), how totake the patient�s history, the appropriate medical forensicexaminations, and medical, psychological and psychosocialcare and aftercare.