Objective: Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) occurs when an individual is incapable of giving consent to a sexual act, because of the voluntary or covert consumption of alcohol or drugs. The present study aims to delineate the context of DFSA, considering vulnerability factors and the role of medical examinations. Method: The study was conducted at the Service for Sexual and Domestic Violence (SVSeD, Milan, Italy) a public rape centre located in a Gynaecological Unit of a University Hospital, which provides help to gender-based violence survivors with a multidisciplinary integrated approach. A retrospective analysis was conducted of SVSeD admissions of assigned female at birth survivors of DFSA who presented with anterograde amnesia between 2018 and 2022. Data on DFSA characteristics, vulnerability factors, and medical examinations were recorded. Results: 210 DFSA cases were identified (11% of all SV cases). The average age was 25.54 years (SD 9.5). 32% were survivors who presented within 12 hours, 30% between 13-24 hours, 14% between 25-72 hours, and the rest even months later. 69% of cases exhibited at least one vulnerability factor for violence, with 31% cases suffering from psychiatric disorders, 15% cases drug addiction, and 10% cases alcoholism. Furthermore, 19% of survivors reported a history of sexual assault. When medical examination was performed within 72 hours, spermatozoa were documented in 17% of cases and genital lesions in 19% of cases. When the presence of spermatozoa was combined with genital lesions, violence could be medically documented in 32% of cases. Conclusions: In cases of DFSA, medical evidence, including injuries or biological traces, can be of significant value, particularly in instances of amnesia where the survivor is unable to recall the event. Such evidence can assist in the survivor's coping process with the trauma. Furthermore, support programs must consider the specific vulnerability factors associated with DFSA
The role of the medical examination in cases of drug-facilitated sexual assault / G. Barbara. The Sexual Violence and Health Research Network day (SVaHRN) Coventry, UK 2025.
The role of the medical examination in cases of drug-facilitated sexual assault
G. Barbara
2025
Abstract
Objective: Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) occurs when an individual is incapable of giving consent to a sexual act, because of the voluntary or covert consumption of alcohol or drugs. The present study aims to delineate the context of DFSA, considering vulnerability factors and the role of medical examinations. Method: The study was conducted at the Service for Sexual and Domestic Violence (SVSeD, Milan, Italy) a public rape centre located in a Gynaecological Unit of a University Hospital, which provides help to gender-based violence survivors with a multidisciplinary integrated approach. A retrospective analysis was conducted of SVSeD admissions of assigned female at birth survivors of DFSA who presented with anterograde amnesia between 2018 and 2022. Data on DFSA characteristics, vulnerability factors, and medical examinations were recorded. Results: 210 DFSA cases were identified (11% of all SV cases). The average age was 25.54 years (SD 9.5). 32% were survivors who presented within 12 hours, 30% between 13-24 hours, 14% between 25-72 hours, and the rest even months later. 69% of cases exhibited at least one vulnerability factor for violence, with 31% cases suffering from psychiatric disorders, 15% cases drug addiction, and 10% cases alcoholism. Furthermore, 19% of survivors reported a history of sexual assault. When medical examination was performed within 72 hours, spermatozoa were documented in 17% of cases and genital lesions in 19% of cases. When the presence of spermatozoa was combined with genital lesions, violence could be medically documented in 32% of cases. Conclusions: In cases of DFSA, medical evidence, including injuries or biological traces, can be of significant value, particularly in instances of amnesia where the survivor is unable to recall the event. Such evidence can assist in the survivor's coping process with the trauma. Furthermore, support programs must consider the specific vulnerability factors associated with DFSA
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