20.2 Clinical Correlates of Youth Sexual Assault

Abstract

This presentation will describe the common clinical presentations for youth seeking services for sexual assault, with a special emphasis on youth who present for acute care after the assault. Most victims do not come forward right away, but those who do are typically seeking immediate health services and forensic evidence collection, not therapy. Helpful acute service responses create opportunity for linking youth to specialty mental health care and preventing the development of chronic trauma responses.