Assult

Question 1

What 3 things do you have in sexual assault?

Answer 1

1. victim
2. perpetrator
3. scene
   * key is to connect these 3 in an investigation.

Question 2

Should a victim bath, shower or douche after sexual assault?

Answer 2

NO or change clothes where DNA evidence may be.

*have pt wrap in a white sheet to keep all trace-evidence (hair, carpet fibers, pollen) secured within the sheet.

Question 3

What are common specimens collected form sexual assault victims?

Answer 3

• oral, nasal, vaginal, rectal, areolar, neck, thigh…

- pubic hair, head hair, nail clippings, animal hair, paint, glass…

Question 4

What is the importance of specimens?

Answer 4

• sperm
• acid phosophatase
• DNA
• P30 (prostatic protein)

Question 5

Will you often see genital trauma in sexual assault?

Answer 5

NO

Question 6

How long do motile sperm survive?

Answer 6

• 6 hours

Question 7

How long to non-motile sperm survive?

Answer 7

• 24 hours

Question 8

How long can sperm be seen in the vagina after death?

Answer 8

• 1-2 weeks

Question 9

When are acid phosphatase levels highest?

Answer 9

• within first 12 hours of intercourse and then gradually disappear by 48-72 hours.

Question 10

When is P30 seen?

Answer 10

• this is a semen specific glycoprotein that is detectable in vaginal fluid for a mean period of 27 hours after intercourse.

Question 11

What are the signs of strangulation?

Answer 11

• external neck injury
• internal neck injury
• suffused head and face due to jugular vein compression.
• petechiae from capillary rupture in conjuctiva of eyes or skin.
• DUSKY brain (salmon color from deoxygenated blood).

Question 12

What are CUT wounds?

Answer 12

• sharp force injury
• LENGTH of skin is LONGER than depth
• knives, glass, razors

Question 13

Where should you look for signs of defense?

Answer 13

hands

Question 14

What are STAB wounds?

Answer 14

• sharp force injury
• DEPTH within body is GREATER than length on skin.
• knives most common.

Question 15

What can blunt force injuries cause?

Answer 15

• abrasions= superficial injury of the epiderms
• contusions= extravascular collection of blood that has leaked from blood vessels damaged from mechanical impact (bruise; black and blue that breaks drown to green and yellow over time (hemosiderin)).
• lacerations= blunt object tears soft tissue (NOT a cut wound).

Question 16

What is a tangential abrasion?

Answer 16

superficial injury caused by lateral rubbing action.

Question 17

What is a patterned abrasion?

Answer 17

• force applied at or near a right angle to the skin

Question 18

What is the difference between a cut wound and laceration?

Answer 18

• cut= clean margin, no tissue bridging, no abrasion, caused by sharp object.
• laceration= irregular margins, tissue bridging, has a abrasion, blunt object.