Sexual abuse in children

Abstract

With prosecution in cases of alleged sexual abuse in children becoming more and more common, physicians are finding themselves in a new and often discomforting role—that of proving that a child has been sexually assaulted. While physical findings may be found and are, of course, often irrefutable, they are not always present or conclusive. For this reason, the history is critical and must be taken with care and forethought. Dr Levitt explains how to make history taking and physical examination as complete as possible for legal use yet as painless as possible for the already traumatized child.