TY - JOUR
T1 - Rape and attempted rape in Aarhus County, Denmark
T2 - Police reported and unreported cases
AU - Rohde, Marianne Cathrine
AU - Charles, Annie Vesterby
AU - Banner, Jytte
AU - Brink, Ole
PY - 2006/5/31
Y1 - 2006/5/31
N2 - The aim of this study was to compare medical and nonmedical findings in police reported and unreported cases of rape and attempted rape in the county of Aarhus, Denmark, and to explore whether legal outcomes were influenced by medico-legal findings in the cases reported to the police. Data on rapes and attempted rapes were collected from the files of the Department of Forensic Medicine, police reports, and court files. Eighty-seven victims of alleged rape and attempted rape were included in a 14-month period. Of these, 60% were categorized as date rapes, 23% as stranger rapes, and 16% as partner rapes. Sixteen percent did not report the alleged crime to the police, but still participated in a medico-legal examination. Twenty-nine percent filed police reports, but did not have a medico-legal examination undertaken. Extra-genital lesions were more common among the women who filed police reports (63 vs 43%). Women who were subjected to date rape and partner rape and had not suffered physical injuries were more reluctant to report to the police. Twelve cases were taken to court; 11 offenders were convicted with 1 acquitted. The presence of injuries, vaginal penetration, or the findings of semen, in this study, had not influenced the legal outcome.
AB - The aim of this study was to compare medical and nonmedical findings in police reported and unreported cases of rape and attempted rape in the county of Aarhus, Denmark, and to explore whether legal outcomes were influenced by medico-legal findings in the cases reported to the police. Data on rapes and attempted rapes were collected from the files of the Department of Forensic Medicine, police reports, and court files. Eighty-seven victims of alleged rape and attempted rape were included in a 14-month period. Of these, 60% were categorized as date rapes, 23% as stranger rapes, and 16% as partner rapes. Sixteen percent did not report the alleged crime to the police, but still participated in a medico-legal examination. Twenty-nine percent filed police reports, but did not have a medico-legal examination undertaken. Extra-genital lesions were more common among the women who filed police reports (63 vs 43%). Women who were subjected to date rape and partner rape and had not suffered physical injuries were more reluctant to report to the police. Twelve cases were taken to court; 11 offenders were convicted with 1 acquitted. The presence of injuries, vaginal penetration, or the findings of semen, in this study, had not influenced the legal outcome.
KW - Clinical forensic medicine
KW - Legal outcome
KW - Medico-legal examination
KW - Rape
KW - Sexual assault
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33646873069&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1385/FSMP:2:1:33
DO - 10.1385/FSMP:2:1:33
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:33646873069
SN - 1547-769X
VL - 2
SP - 33
EP - 38
JO - Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology
JF - Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology
IS - 1
ER -
