Characteristics of Sexual Violence Against Adolescent Girls: A 10 Years’ Retrospective Study of 731 Sexually Abused Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual violence against young girls is a pervasive multifaceted phenomenon which embraces several different forced sexual acts, including attempted and/or completed rape, sexual coercion and harassment, and sexual contact with force or threat of force. The aim of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of sexual violence in adolescent girls, by a retrospective analysis of 731 consecutive cases of sexually abused girls. Materials and Methods: We analyzed demographic characteristics, risk factors for rape, and the eventual subsequent presence and type of ano-genital lesions. Results: We found that sexual violence with penetration was perpetrated in 591 (80%) cases. Vulnerability factors related with a major risk of rape were age >17 years old and consumption of alcohol and/or other drugs. About 196 (55%) victims had at a least one genital lesion. Conclusion: A prompt identification of red flags of sexual violence may help physicians in suspecting and managing cases of sexual assault in adolescent girls, even in the absence of typical lesions.

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