Suspected Sexual Assault in those under 16 years
SJH Emergency Medicine
Warning
- Treat any pressing medical issues/injuries as appropriate.
- If police already involved they might have advised on this, but it is helpful to ask that the young person does not wash and that they keep clothing they were wearing to preserve evidence.
- Refer all cases of alleged sexual assault < 16 years of age to the child protection consultant on call ( do not assume the police have done this, even if they have been involved). This can be done the following day if advice not needed urgently.
- Patients will normally be offered a Joint Paediatric Forensic Examination (JPFE) within 24 hours, although this requires the consent of the young person.
- Please remember to discuss and give, if appropriate, the emergency contraceptive pill (the child protection team have specifically asked if we can do this as the earlier it is given the more effective it is and there is also the possibility that the patient may withdraw their complaint and not attend any follow up. We do not want to miss the opportunity to do this)
- Blood borne virus (BBV) risk assessment, sexual health screening, and follow up will usually be considered at a JPFE(Joint paediatric forensic examination). However, if you think the young person is unlikely to attend follow up or there is information immediately available to you that indicates a risk of BBV it is important to consider this.
- Please discuss with most senior doctor on duty and the child protection team for further advice.