What A Gynecologist Looks For During A Rape Assessment
Posted on: 31 October 2016
Rape is never something you hope will happen to you. However, if you think you have been raped but cannot recall, your gynecologist can perform a rape assessment. Here is what a gynecologist looks for during this type of exam.
Bruising and Abrasions Around the Labia
The lips of your genitals should not have signs of bruising or abrasions. These are indications of rough or forced sexual encounters. When you do not recall having sex willingly in the last forty-eight hours, these are often the first signs of rape of which your doctor takes note.
Vaginal Tearing
The next thing your doctor will look for are vaginal tears. Forcible sexual encounters (i.e., rape) often result in vaginal tearing because your body was not ready to receive a penis or object into the vagina or at the angle which your attacker entered you. If your attacker also used atypical objects to insert into your vagina, these objects may have caused tearing too. Sticks, bottles, and even sharp objects like knives have been known to be used in rape cases. If you are also experiencing some vaginal bleeding, your doctor will want to see how bad these tears are.
More Serious Damage to Your Vaginal Walls or Cervix
As a general rule, most penises are unable to reach or hit the cervix. If your cervix shows signs of trauma, it means that your attacker either had a very long penis or used a very long and large object that hit your cervix repeatedly during the attack. If there are puncture wounds or more severe injuries to your vaginal walls, the possibility of the use of foreign objects increases. All of these things are visible to the gynecologist when he or she inserts a speculum and examines your vagina and cervix closer.
Signs of Sodomy
Some rapists and sexual attackers also sodomize their victims. They may use their penises or foreign objects, and insert them into your anus. While this is a very painful and terrifying act, it is a good indication that you were raped (especially if you do not remember consenting to anal sex recently). Your doctor may want to examine your anus to make sure that there is no serious damage beyond what would be expected of forcible anal rape.
Blood Tests
When you cannot remember what happened to you, your gynecologist may order several blood tests. Some of these will test your blood for "rufiies," drugs which knock you out and cause you to lose track of time and events. Other blood tests will check for STDs, which you will want medication for as soon as possible. Finally, a few more tests are used to check any DNA found in or on your body that is clearly not your own.
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