Topic: Forensic examination of injuries and wounds
Question: Write briefly about Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault. Describe the nature of evidence/injuries.
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Drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) refers to the use of drugs and/or alcohol by a perpetrator to incapacitate a victim for the purpose of sexual assault or rape.
Nature of evidence/injuries:
– The victim may exhibit symptoms of disorientation, confusion, drowsiness, impaired motor skills, memory loss indicating intoxication with sedative-hypnotic drugs.
– Common drugs used include flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), GHB, ketamine, alcohol. These drugs are odorless, colorless and induce amnesia.
– Urine or blood sample collected soon after the assault may show presence of the intoxicating drugs to help establish DFSA.
– However, many drugs are quickly cleared from the body making confirmation difficult. Hair sample testing can detect drugs for a longer period.
– Physical injuries like genital/anal trauma, bruises may be present but not seen in all cases due to incapacitation.
– Psychological trauma, anxiety, suicidal thoughts are common aftermaths.
– Circumstantial evidence like state of victim’s clothes, crime scene can provide clues about non-consensual assault.
– Witness accounts of victim’s behavior, perpetrator actions help corroborate DFSA.
In summary, evidence of DFSA includes symptoms of intoxication, forensic confirmation of sedative-hypnotic drugs, circumstantial evidence of non-consensual assault, and psychological trauma in victim. Physical injuries may or may not be present. (
