Designation:E1843−96(Reapproved2010)StandardGuideforSexualAssaultInvestigation,Examination,andEvidenceCollection1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationE1843;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.INTRODUCTIONReportsofsexualassaultshaveincreasedsteadilyintheUnitedStatesoverthepasttwentyfiveyears.Althoughthereportingrateoftheseassaultshastriplednationallyduringthisperiod,researchstatisticsindicatethatsexualassaultremainsasoneofthemostunder-reportedtypesofcrime.Thesestudiesalsoindicatethattheratioofpersonscommittingsexualassaulttothegeneralpopulationisfairlyconstant.Therise,therefore,inthereportingrateofsexualassaultreflectsimprovementsmadeinU.S.societyconcerninghowsuchreportsareinvestigatedandprocessedinthecourts.Theseimprovementshaveoccurredintheareasofthevictimsmovementandvictimadvocacyinitiativesbythecriminaljusticesystem,improvedpoliceeducationandtraining,thewomen’smovementandgenderequalityconsciousnessinsociety,sexualassaulteducationintheschoolsandthepublicsectorgenerally,andtheevaluationofclinicalforensicnursing.Thearticulationofthesestandardscarriesforwardthespiritoftheseimprovementssoastoservethecauseofjusticeinsociety.Althoughreportsofchildsexualabusehavealsoincreasedmarkedlyinrecentyears,thesereportsareevenmoredifficulttosubstantiatethanadultreports.Manychildrenaretooyoungtorealizethatcertainkindsofphysicalcontactbyothersareinappropriate,andthosethatdomaynotbeabletoarticulatetheirfeelings,oraredependentupontheabuserforcare,orboth.Whenchildrendoreportsexualabusetoathirdparty,itmaybedismissedasfantasyorfalsehood.Childrenmaybethreatenedorconvincedthatsomethingterriblewillhappentothemortheirfamiliesiftheyreporttheabuse,orthattheywereinsomewayresponsibleforit.Traditionally,thesuccessfulprosecutionofbothadultandchildsexualassaultcaseshasbe...
