Assessment of the sexually abused female children admitted to a tertiary care hospital: Eight year experience

Leyla Mollamahmutoglu; Ozlem Uzunlar; Inci Kahyaoglu; Sebnem Ozyer; Mustafa Besli; Mujdegul Karaca

doi:10.12669/pjms.305.5274

Authors

Leyla Mollamahmutoglu Etlik Zubeyde Hanım Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara
Ozlem Uzunlar Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara
Inci Kahyaoglu Etlik Zubeyde Hanım Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara
Sebnem Ozyer Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara
Mustafa Besli Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara
Mujdegul Karaca Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Research and Education Hospital, Ankara

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.305.5274

Keywords:

childhood, sexual abuse, incest

Abstract

Objective: To discuss the medical, social and legal characteristics of the child sexual abuse and to provide a perspective for gynecologists on this topic.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out of the medicolegal records of female children below the age of 18 referred to a tertiary teaching hospital and diagnosed as being exposed to sexual abuse within the family between the years of 2004 to 2012.

Results: One hundred and thirty-nine cases were diagnosed as being exposed to sexual abuse during the 8 year period, 23 of them (16.5%) had been involved in sexual abuse within the family. Eleven out of 23 had been admitted as part of a legal process while the rest were reported by a third person.

Conclusion: Since sexual abuse within the family is a taboo in Islamic societies, the diagnosis can take a long time. Recognition of sexually abused children, providing early performance of medicolegal examinations, and applying standardized medical guidelines are essential to protect these children.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.12669/pjms.305.5274

How to cite this:Mollamahmutoglu L, Uzunlar O, Kahyaoglu I, Ozyer S, Besli M, Karaca M. Assessment of the sexually abused female children admitted to a tertiary care hospital: Eight year experience. Pak J Med Sci 2014;30(5):1104-1107.