Medico-legal aspects of alleged rape victims in Lahore.

OBJECTIVE To describe the socio-demographic along with the medico-legal characteristics of rape victims reporting to a female police station of Lahore. STUDY DESIGN Observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Female Police Station in Shadman, Lahore, from, June 1995 to January 2009. METHODOLOGY A total of 74 cases of alleged rape victims were identified while reviewing all available police files concerning reported rapes and attempted rapes from 1995 to 2008. The data was gathered on preformed questionnaires after conducting the pilot study. All information about victims and alleged offenders were extracted from the police files including socio-demographic profile of the accused and victim both. Use of weapon, evidence of physical and genital trauma, assailant identification and his relationship with the victim, number of accused persons and location of rape was noted in each case. Examination by doctor and obtaining the specimens were also identified and was related to the outcome of the court case. Chi-square test was applied to determine the association of rape with age and educational status of the victim and the accused. RESULTS A total of 74 cases of alleged rape were reported in the study period at Shadman Female Police Station. Maximum number of victims was reported in the age group 10-19 years (n=46, 62.2%). Majority of the accused belonged to 20-39 years' age group constituting 64.8% of the total. Regarding educational status 45 (60.8%) of the victims and 51 (68.9%) of the accused were illiterate. Significant association was found between the educational status of rape victims and accused (p = 0.016) but not between their ages (p = 0.862). The maximum incidence of rape was reported in unmarried (n = 55, 74.3%) and unemployed (n =61, 82.4%) women. In 14 cases (19%) use of weapon was reported. Physical trauma was reported in 29 (39%) and genital trauma in 14 (19%) cases. The accused were identified as family friends (25%) and neighbours (23%) respectively. Only 21% of the victims were examined by doctor and specimens were obtained in only 14.9% of the cases. Acquittal of the accused was observed in 43% of the cases while 34% cases were still pending; conviction of the accused was observed in only 5% of the cases. CONCLUSION Rape victims usually belong to young age group between 10-19 years majority of being unmarried and unemployed. Only a smaller fraction of the victims were examined by doctor and specimens were obtained in only few of the cases.