Legal differences regarding who can consent for sexual assault exams in adolescents, indicating the need for provider awareness.
BACKGROUND: Several states have amended their laws relating to a minor's ability to consent to medical forensic exams after sexual assault. AIM: To identify state-by-state legal differences of who may provide informed consent for forensic medical exams with adolescent patients following sexual assault. METHODS: A search of all 50 states using the legal database Westlaw for state statutes pertaining to who may provide consent for sexual assault medical forensic exams on minors. RESULTS: Unless stated as an exception, parental consent remains a prerequisite for minors to undergo medical forensic exams and medical treatment following a sexual assault. Fourteen states have an exception that allows minors to obtain sexual assault medical forensic exams without parental consent, while twenty-eight states do not have an exception (require parental consent). DISCUSSION: Legislative divergence across states highlights the importance of health care providers to remain current on their state's requirements.
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Gao et al. (2026) studied this question.
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