[Medical and legal aspects of rape. Referrals to a team for care of rape victims at the regional hospital in Trondheim during the period 1989-1992].

Since 1989 a special team of nurses and gynaecologist have taken care of rape victims at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Trondheim. Information on cases during the period 1989-92 was recorded retrospectively in a preformulated system. During this period, 141 persons were examined. In 23% of the cases the victim did not want to press charges. Most of the victims were young, 38% were below 20 years of age. A considerable proportion (40%) reported alcohol intake. 78% of the sexual assaults involved penile-vaginal contact. Severe physical violence, more severe assaults than physical restraint, were reported by 24%. Signs of non-genital injuries were documented in 35% of all the victims. 13% showed genital injury. Presence of sperm was documented in 16% of all the examinations. In 67 of the cases there was an identified assailant and a victim who had pressed charges. The conviction rate was 48%. Characteristics of the assault and findings at the examination were related to judicial outcome. Reporting of severe violence (OR (odds ratio) = 5.3), documented genital injuries (OR = 6.5) and the presence of sperms (OR = 5.6) were associated with conviction. These associations were statistically significant. Reported alcohol intake by the victim was negatively associated with conviction (OR = 0.3). Adjusted for lapse of time between the event and the examination and the victim's age, the only factor that still showed a statistically significant association with conviction was the report of severe violence.