Male sexual assaults in the Paris, France area: An observational study over 8 years

Male patient attendances at Sexual Assault Treatment Units in Ireland: An analysis of 381 cases and a comparison with female patients

BACKGROUND

Sexual violence is a crime that affects people of all genders. While focus is frequently on female survivors, it is crucial to acknowledge that males also experience sexual violence and to ensure that gender-sensitive services are available to all survivors. Understanding the prevalence of, and factors associated with, sexual violence against males is a critical first step in addressing this issue. We aim to address the lack of data in relation to sexual violence against males.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of all male attendances at 6 Sexual Assault Treatment Units (SATU) in the Republic of Ireland over a 6-year period and, where applicable, comparison with corresponding female attendances.

RESULTS

There were 381 male attendances with an average age of 28.5 years over the study period, representing 7 % of all SATU patients. There was a 24 % increase in male attendances during the study period. 39.1 % presented within 24 h of the assault. 61.9 % reported the crime to the police. Employment status included 37.3 % employed, 24.9 % unemployed, and 26.2 % students, with 86.7 % being Irish nationals. Most incidents occurred on weekdays (53.3 %) and at night (56.7 %). Referrals were primarily from police (55.9 %), and psychological support was provided in 62.3 % of cases. Alcohol (60.4 %) and illicit drugs (20.5 %) were reported before assaults. 18.6 % suspected drug-facilitated assaults. Male assailants constituted 90.1 %, with 13.9 % involving multiple assailants. Male attenders were significantly more likely than females to be assaulted in their assailant's home and to be assaulted by more than one assailant. They were significantly less likely than females to report the crime to the police or to have consumed alcohol.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is one of the largest case series of male patients attending a sexual assault treatment service to be published in the international literature. Male patients are a distinct group that are increasingly accessing SATU services. Significant differences exist between male and female patients' reported experiences of sexual violence. Knowledge of these factors will support appropriate tailoring of treatment & service provision, prevention and awareness strategies to help modify the impact and reduce the incidence of sexual violence in this cohort.

Male Victims of Rape: An Observational Study over Four Years in Paris, France

Sexual violence is a common and under-reported form of violence that affects all categories of individuals. We sought to provide epidemiological data on men aged 15 years and over, victims of rape or suspecting a rape, and who reported it to the police. We conducted a retrospective study at the Department of Forensic Medicine of Hôtel-Dieu, Paris, France, between 2018 and 2021. Two-hundred men were included in the study, with an average age of 28.8 years. A vulnerability was mentioned for 17.5% of them. Most of the patients reported anal penetration, committed by a single male assailant, whom they met on the day of the assault. More than 60% of the patients reported the voluntary consumption of alcohol and/or illicit substances prior to the assault. Most patients were examined shortly after the assault (median 1 day). Anal lesions were found on examination in 37.0% of patients reporting anal penetration regardless of the time frame. The presence of anal lesions was statistically higher when patients were examined within 48 h. Our results reinforce the data in the literature on the risk factors associated with sexual violence among men, notably the consumption of alcohol and illicit substances, and psychological, economic, and social vulnerability.

Sexual Assault: Approach to Reality in the Area of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain) through a 12-Year Retrospective Study

Sexual assault constitutes a severely traumatic experience that impacts the lives of far too many victims each year. The underlying behaviors of the offenders are often associated with psychological, physical and social distress, and the use of psychotropic substances was found in a good number of cases. A descriptive and retrospective review of sexual assault cases has been undertaken to identify trends in the toxicology findings in Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault in Santiago de Compostela over the past 12 years. During this period, a total of 69 cases were referred to the Forensic Toxicology Service as sexual assault cases. The sex and age distribution of the cases showed that females between the ages of 14 and 65 years constituted the group most frequently submitted to sexual assault, with a peak of 55.1% in the 18- to 30-year age group. Alcohol consumption was positive in 77.1% of positive cases determined, followed by drugs (34.4%) and illicit drugs (26.2%). Our results showed a high percentage of alcohol consumption in sexual assault cases.

Sexual Assault and the Association With Health, Quality of Life, and Self-Efficacy in the General Norwegian Population

The lifetime prevalence of sexual assault was examined in a representative sample of the general Norwegian adult population (n = 1,792), in addition to the association between sexual assault and health, quality of life, and general self-efficacy. Respondents completed questionnaires assessing these factors. Overall, 6.7% (n = 120) of the respondents (10.9% of women and 1.9% of men) reported an experience of sexual assault. Respondents in the sexual assault group reported significantly worse mental and physical health as well as poorer quality of life and lower self-efficacy, compared with those without sexual assault experience. The most prevalent mental problems in the sexual assault group were depression (61.7%), sleep problems (58.3%), eating disorders (26.7%), and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms at a clinical level (25.0%). The most prevalent physical problems were chronic pain (47.5%) and musculoskeletal disease (30.8%). The proportions of physical and mental health problems were not significantly different between male and female victims. Results indicated that having experienced sexual assault during one's life appears to be associated with lifetime occurrence of multiple health problems for both genders and reduces a person's perceived general self-efficacy and quality of life.

Development and validation of an mRNA-based multiplex body fluid identification workflow and a rectal mucosa marker pilot study

Molecular identification of body fluids and tissues is crucial in order to understand the circumstances of crimes. For that reason, molecular investigations used to identify body fluids/tissues have increasingly been examined recently. Various studies have proved that messenger RNA (mRNA) profiling is a sensitive and robust method for body fluid/tissue identification. The forensically relevant body fluids/tissues blood, semen, saliva, vaginal secretion, menstrual blood and skin have all been detected successfully by applying suitable mRNA assay. However, rectal mucosa, which can be found as evidence in sexual assault cases, has been neglected in forensic investigations. So far there is no mRNA marker to detect rectal mucosa, although anal penetration occurs in a large number of sexual assaults (23.2% of female victims and 50% of male victims). In this study, specific and sensitive mRNA markers for forensically relevant body fluids were adapted and validated in an mRNA multiplex assay for routine casework. This included the implementation of a DNA/RNA re-extraction method for automated extraction that can be integrated into casework without loss of DNA. This re-extraction method and the mRNA multiplex assay were tested using casework samples. PCR-primers were designed for the identification of rectal mucosa and the more effective marker MUC12 was integrated into an extended multiplex assay. The result of our study is a highly specific and sensitive mRNA multiplex assay plus an automated DNA/RNA re-extraction method, that can be integrated into casework and identify rectal mucosa for the first time.

Male-On-Male Child and Adolescent Sexual Abuse in the Caribbean Region of Colombia: A Secondary Analysis of Medico-Legal Reports

Child and adolescent sexual abuse (CSA) is an important global health problem, especially in non-Western low- and middle-income countries. A number of studies have indicated that, in Latin American countries, male CSA is phenomenon of great concern. However, research on this topic is seriously lacking, and more specifically, on male-on-male CSA. We carried out a qualitative and quantitative secondary analysis of 680 cases of alleged male-on-male CSA that occurred between the years 2017 and 2018 in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. We analyzed the contents of forensic interviews with the alleged victims, conducted by professionals working at the Colombian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences. Our findings indicated a high prevalence of cases of alleged male-on-male CSA among young minors. Most of these cases were allegedly perpetrated by offenders known to the victim and involved high levels of violence. Evidence-based and culturally grounded preventative actions, such as training-based programs for teachers and parents among other public health initiatives are needed to address this type of CSA. Further research is also required to gain a more fine-grained understanding of the cultural and social context of CSA in the Caribbean Latin American countries.