Understanding differences in genital
injuries after nonconsensual and consensual intercourse is an important
element of prosecuting sexual assault cases. In order to determine if the injury patterns and total surface area of genital
injuries can differentiate between the types of intercourse (consensual or non-consensual), eighty women were examined after non-consensual (retrospective chart review, n = 40) and consensual (recruited, n = 40) intercourse within 48 hours using colposcopy,
toluidine blue dye, and digital photography to document genital
injuries. Differences between types of
injuries found in the nonconsensual and consensual groups, based on the univariate analysis, were found with the number of sites (NoS) with
ecchymosis (p < 0.01) and NoS with redness (p < 0.01). Based on the logistic hierarchical regression model, 85% of the nonconsensual group and 90% of the consensual group were classified correctly by using the NoS with tears,
ecchymosis, abrasions, and redness and SA of injury when controlling for time from intercourse to examination. The NoS with redness (p = 0.017), NoS with
ecchymosis, and SA of injury (p = 0.039) were individually predictive. The NoS with
ecchymosis were also a significant finding when addressed as an individual block (p < 0.001). In this small sample, exploratory study, while controlling for time, the injury patterns and total SA of genital
injuries were able to correctly classify the nonconsensual group 85% of the time. Replication of this study with a larger sample is essential.