Citation

Cabarcos-Fernández P, Tabernero-Duque MJ, Álvarez-Freire I, Bermejo-Barrera AM. J. Anal. Toxicol. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Preston Publications)

DOI

10.1093/jat/bkac080

PMID

36208150

Abstract

Sexual assault constitutes a severely traumatic experience that impacts the lives of far too many victims each year. The underlying behaviors of the offenders are often associated with psychological, physical, and social distress and the use of psychotropic substances was found in a good number of cases. A descriptive and retrospective review of sexual assault cases has been undertaken to identify trends in the toxicology findings in Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) in Santiago de Compostela over the past 12 years. During this period, a total of 69 cases were referred to the Forensic Toxicology Service as sexual assault cases. The sex and age distribution of the cases showed that females between the ages of 14-65 years constituted the group most frequently submitted to sexual assault, with a peak of 55.1% in the 18-30-year age group. Alcohol consumption was positive in 77.1% of positive cases determined, followed by drugs (34.4%) and illicit drugs (26.2%). Our results showed a high percentage of alcohol consumption in sexual assault cases.

Language: en

Keywords

Sexual assault; Chemical Submission; Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault; forensic toxicology