The gynaecologist as an expert witness in cases of sexual abuse

The High Criminal Court of Kirklareli province of Turkey dealt with a sexual abuse case where the victim was a 14-year-old girl. She was abducted and abused by her boyfriend with her consent, which was legally invalid because of her age. Medical examination was required in order to bring an accusation against the perpetrator. The girl was sent for hymen examination three times because two gynaecologists and one forensic expert produced different witness reports, confusing the court. This caused psychological damaged to the victim. It is proposed that gynaecologists should be made aware of their potential input into sexual assault cases and be informed of the way in which these cases should be handled. In addition, photo-documentation should be established in the Turkish legal system to avoid re-examination of the victim.