A Five Year Retrospective Study of Female Sexual Assault in Qaluybia Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

ABASTRACT Background: Sexual assault has serious effects on the society and on victim's health. Aim: The aim of this work was to estimate the epidemiological features and characteristics of female sexual assault during the period from 2014 to 2018 in Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt. Subjects and Methods: This study was based on collection and analyze of retrospective data during the period from the start of January 2014 to the end of December 2018 from the archives of Qalyubia Medico-legal Department, Ministry of Justice, Egypt, with respect to demographics features, number of assailants, relationship between victim and perpetrator, time of reporting, pattern of physical and genital injuries. Results: The total number of sexual assault cases was 145 within the studied period. Most cases (49 %) were between 12-18 years old and came from the urban areas (70.3%). Unmarried cases constituted 90.3% and 94.5% of cases were with normal mentality. Sexual assaults occurred mostly in the spring (44.14%). Most of the assailants were extrafamilial and unknown to the victims (70.34%). Most cases committed in the assailant's home 46.21% and a single assailant was the perpetrator of 81.4% of the cases. Complete vaginal penetration was the most frequent type of assault (44.1%). The most common type of non-genital injury was abrasion (49.5%), the highest percentage of genital injury was lacerations (39.8%), and the most common site was the hymen (35.3%). Most cases (65.5%) examined after the first month of assault and the shortest time between alleged assault and the examination was in the first day in 6.2%. Conclusion: The highest percentage of sexually assaulted cases in this study was unmarried female under eighteen. Most cases were examined late after the first month of assault and the crime mostly committed by one unknown assailant with complete vaginal penetration and hymen laceration was the most frequent type of genital injury.