Forensic Medical Examinations

Gathering Forensic Evidence

During any police involvement there may be a need for a medical examination by a qualified health care professional.

The health care professional, called a Forensic Medical Examiner (FME), will examine all parts of your body including your intimate areas. The FME has been trained in this type of examination and will understand your fears and emotions.

In this examination, the FME, may take swabs and samples of skin, hair, blood and urine from you.

You have the choice to refuse the examination at any time and no one is allowed to pressurise you into any examination.

The ISVA, or a family member, partner, friend or a female police officer can be present during this examination if you wish, it is your choice. The FME will understand your need for support.

The person who assaulted you could have left their own DNA on you during the assault, this can be retrieved by the Forensic Medical Examiner.

The FME should also offer you the ‘morning after’ pill if you need it. You are within your rights to ask and receive this medication, this emergency contraception can help up to 72 hours after a rape.

Important Information

• Write down as much information and detail as you can  about the assault and assailant

• It is important that you try to keep the clothes and your self in an unwashed state, do not bathe, douche or brush your teeth, smoke or drink, if possible.

• Try not to disturb anything where the assault occurred if possible.

• DNA maybe left after the assault, and this can be used as forensic evidence.

• DNA has a lifespan, it is organic and will decay.

• DNA will die - second by second of each day - that you take no action.

Should you wish to report the incident to the police, the collection of evidence at this time is extremely important and invaluable.

It can be used as evidence in court.

Medical Examinations

Medical examinations can make any one nervous, medical examinations involving retrieving forensic evidence can be even more traumatic.

The reasons for taking so many swabs and samples is to build a strong case of forensic evidence for the case to be successful in court.

You may have been subjected to a drug-assisted assault, so the need for blood, urine and hair samples can lead to confirmation of this type of sexual assault.

Modern forensic methods can offer considerable weight in any case going forward in to the criminal justice system