TY - JOUR PY - 2008// TI - Older victims of sexual assault: an underrecognized population JO - American journal of obstetrics and gynecology A1 - Eckert, L. O. A1 - Sugar, N. F. SP - 688.e1 EP - 7; discussion 688.e7 VL - 198 IS - 6 N2 - OBJECTIVE: We performed this study to determine if sexual assault characteristics differ in women presenting for evaluation as women age. STUDY DESIGN: All females 20 years or older presenting after sexual assault to an urban emergency department during a nine year period underwent standardized evaluation. Analysis was performed by chi(2). RESULTS: We evaluated 2399 women: 1743 women 20-39 years, 554 women 40-55 years, and 102 women over 55 years of age. Compared with the other age groups, older women were more commonly assaulted in their own home (36%) or care facility (33%), P < .001, assaulted by a service provider (16.7%) or stranger (18.6%), P < .001, impaired (54.9%), P < .001, admitted to the hospital (15.7%), P < .001, incur genital trauma (35.6%), P = .04, and less likely to have a weapon used (7.8%), P = .003. CONCLUSION: Sexual assault in older women has distinct characteristics, which may be useful in planning intervention and prevention strategies.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0002-9378 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2008.03.021 ID - ref1 ER -