Forensic psyhiatric reports for victims of sexual assault and consensus problems among expertise institutes

Abstract

Objective: It is known that sexual assault sets the stage for various mental diseases. Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, and adjustment disorder are most commonly encountered. In this paper, the aim was to determine the demographic characteristics of the sex crimes which were prosecuted at the courts in the city of Eskisehir, to evaluate the forensic reports which were prepared by different institutes for sex crime victims in order to clarify the impairment of physical or mental health, to discuss the contradictions between the institutions about this subject; and within this context, to determine the troubles which were experienced at the stage of implementing clauses of the Criminal Code related to sexual assault. Method: The files of legal investigations of the sex crime cases which were transferred to the legal authorities between 01.06.2005 and 31.12.2008 were analyzed and the process of trial and court verdicts were evaluated. Results: It was established that there was no consensus on the evaluation of impairment of the mental health between local institutes and the Council of Forensic Medicine. Conclusion: It was concluded that parallel evaluations between the Council of Forensic Medicine and other health institutes on 'the impairment of physical or mental health' are necessary, and units should be established at local levels where forensic medicine specialists, psychiatrists and child and adolescent psychiatrists can work together and where the victim is listened to and examined only one time and, if necessary, biological samples can be taken and evaluated, which will make a great contribution to the solution of the problems.