STI Prophylaxis for Female-Adult Survivors of Sexual Assault

Abstract

Sexual assault (SA) is a non-consensual sexual activity which includes non- penetrative intercourse like kissing, fondling, touching and rape. Rape includes penetration into oral, vaginal or anal orifice using any parts of the body or objects. As lack of negotiation power appears to be the risk factor, the victims of SA were mostly being in very young or very old age, women, disabled people and incapacitation with the drugs. Medical personnel should be well-trained and must emphatically concern about physical injuries, short- and long-term psychological impacts, forensic aspects and evidence collection, prevention of pregnancy and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). As STIs are prevalent among assailants, the victims become STI high-risk population. Of them, each age group requires slightly different concept of caring. As such, this article focuses only on the prevention of STIs for the victims who are reproductive–aged women. The etiologic organisms of STIs are bacteria, viruses and insects, of which each has different incubation period, target cells and long-term effects. The STI prophylactic medications aims to prevent human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, gonorrhea, chlamydial infection, syphilis and trichomoniasis. However, some STIs are as important owing to the recurrence nature and the life-ling seropositivity. The victims should be given tactful and sympathetic psychological support and prepared with adequate information regarding STIs in order to step forward in life smoothly.