Addressing sexual assault in Pakistan: Insights from an analysis of female survivors at Lahore General Hospital

Abstract

Background & objectiveRape is a severe kind of sexual violence that represents a significant violation of human rights. The objective was to investigate the demographic and clinical features of female survivors of sexual assault in Lahore, Pakistan. MethodA retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine of Lahore General Hospital, analysing records of female sexual assault survivors investigated by affiliated police stations from November 2020 to November 2022. Data were collected from medicolegal certificates and medical notes and analysed using SPSS software. Result282 female survivors reported to Lahore General Hospital's Forensic Medicine Department, aged 5–55 years, with a mean age of 22.74 ± 8.30. A significant proportion (50.4%) were aged 16–25 years. Most survivors were examined between 6 and 24 h (34%) and 2–7 days (37.9%) after the assault, with the majority (95%) exhibiting well-developed secondary sexual characteristics. Sexual assault and physical abuse were both reported in 56.4% of cases. In 77% of cases, the perpetrator was known, and in 36.5% of cases, a weapon was used. No external body injury was observed in 74.8% of cases, and 2.8% showed signs of fresh hymen rupture. The study identified 92.2% of cases lost to follow-up. ConclusionThis study highlights the pressing need to implement effective measures to prevent and address rape in Pakistan. The findings emphasise the need for education, improved forensic infrastructure and policy reforms to address sexual assault effectively.