Forensic Medical Examinations: Imagining Justice

Abstract

Depending on the type of physical contact involved during a sexual assault offense, samples collected from a suspect's body may carry greater probative value than samples collected from a victim's body. However, unlike forensic medical examinations for persons identified as victims of a sexual assault, no professional consensus exists for what constitutes a high-quality forensic medical examination standard for persons identified as suspects, or the accused. The purpose of this article is to explore underlying assumptions that may contribute to disparate practices and inequalities in the provision of forensic medical examinations for persons suspected of committing a sexual offense and persons identified as victims of a sexual offense.