Summary
Child sexual abuse. Patient characteristics and management from the emergency department
Trenchs Sainz De La Maza V, Curcoy Barcenilla AI, Ortiz Rodríguez J, Macías Borrás C, Comas Masmitja L, Luaces Cubells C, Pou Fernández J
Affiliation of the authors
Paediatrics Department. Social Work. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu. Unversity of Barcelona, Spain.
DOI
Quote
Trenchs Sainz De La Maza V, Curcoy Barcenilla AI, Ortiz Rodríguez J, Macías Borrás C, Comas Masmitja L, Luaces Cubells C, et al. Child sexual abuse. Patient characteristics and management from the emergency department. Emergencias. 2008;20:173-8
Summary
Background: Family conflicts may be one of the reasons for the increase in visits for
suspected child sexual abuse in Emergency Departments. The aim of the study was to
report the characteristics of the children who present to Emergency Department with
suspected sexual abuse.
Methods: Retrospective review of all the children evaluated for suspected sexual abuse
in the Emergency Department during the first seven months of 2004.
Results: A total of 48 patients were attended two for acute sexual abuse. The mean
age was 6.8 years (SD 3.6 years), 42 were girls. Physical examination was normal in
85.4%. The study was completed in the Multidisciplinary Abuse Unit in 37 patients;
25 of when had divorced parents. In 10 girls sexual abuse was established. All rapists
were men, mainly relatives of the children. No differences were found in the diagnoses
of abuse, patient sex, normal physical examination or the divorced state of the
parents.
Conclusions: Confirmation of suspected sexual abuse in the Emergency Department is
difficult. Most cases do not require immediate intervention and cooperation with a
Multidisciplinary Abuse Unit is necessary. One third of child abuse suspicions are confirmed.
The victims are mainly girls and the aggressors are usually persons close to the
children.