Determination of Posterior Fourchette Coital Wounds in Rape Victims by Using Toluidine Blue

Abstract

Posterior fourchette coital wounds in rape victims are oneof the important evidences of sexual crime, raping. The small and shallow abrasions at genital organ are difficult to determine fordetection of sexual evidence. In this studying, the author’s intension is whether the using 1% Toluidine Blue applied at genital organ ofsexual assaulted victims, posterior fourchette and lower labia majora and minora, could develope the wounds clearer. The enrolled victims of this study were 241 cases who had been raped and came to Forensic Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University for examination and collecting sexual evidences, during May, 1997 to May, 1998. The results showed that the application of 1%Toluidine Blue on posterior fourchette could develope, 33.6-35.5% ofclearer wounds than ordinary nake-eyed examination and 4.6 - 6.3% of unseen posterior fourchette wounds. Therefore, the application of 1% Toluidine Blue at genital organ especially at posterior fourchette of sexual assaulted vicitms is recommended in rape victim examination.