A National Protocol for Sexual Abuse Medical Forensic Examinations: Pediatric

The National Protocol for Sexual Abuse Medical Forensic Examinations—Pediatric is a guide for: (1) health care providers who conduct sexual abuse medical forensic examinations of prepubescent children; and (2) other professionals and agencies/facilities involved in an initial community response to child sexual abuse, in coordinating with health care providers to facilitate medical forensic care. The main goals of a pediatric sexual abuse medical forensic examination, as described in this protocol, are to:

• address the health care needs of prepubescent children who disclose sexual abuse or for whom sexual abuse is suspected;
• promote their healing; and
• gather forensic evidence for potential use within the criminal justice and/or child protection systems.

It is also essential during the exam process to address concerns regarding children’s safety, as well as to offer emotional support, crisis intervention, education, and advocacy to children and their caregivers as needed. Coordination across disciplines and agencies/facilities in a community, as well as across jurisdictions in some instances (e.g., in concurrent federal and tribal cases), is crucial to simultaneously address the above health, legal, safety, and support goals.

Note that the protocol borrowed from and built upon many excellent state, federal, national, tribal, and international resources, as well as research related to community response to child sexual abuse and pediatric sexual abuse medical forensic examinations. It also adapted recommendations, where applicable, from the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations—Adults/Adolescents (2013).