Sexual violence associated with international travel.

Abstract

We read with great interest the systematic review by Wyler et al., published recently in this journal.1 This comprehensive review of literature pertaining to mortality arising from injuries in travellers highlighted the importance of discussing the hazards of road traffic collisions, drowning and homicide in the pre-travel consultation. While the review by Wyler et al.1 focuses on fatal injuries arising in these three settings, we wish to draw attention to an oft-overlooked category of travel-related traumatic injury. Sexual assault and rape during international travel, which may occur in isolation or in association with homicide, was the subject of an invited symposium presentation by one of the authors (A.H.) at the CISTM16 conference in Washington DC. While research in this area is sparse, a retrospective review of patients cared for at dedicated forensic medical services revealed that 9% of victims had experienced sexual violence while travelling outside the Republic of Ireland.2 A previous letter to this journal discussed the hidden phenomenon of in-flight sexual assaults and suggested ways in which the airline travel industry should prevent and respond to such distressing incidents.3 Kennedy and Flaherty4 pointed to the reluctance of individuals to disclose their experiences of sexual violence and suggested that this may be magnified in the context of international travel.