Study on Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Alleged Sexual Assault Cases: an Experiences in Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Background: Rape, a form of sexual assault without consent, occurs through force, coercion, or against those unable to give consent.International rape rates vary, with Bangladesh witnessing a 122% increase in cases from 2018 to 2020.The government's response includes imposing the death penalty for rapists.Bangladesh faces pervasive sexual violence, with domestic abuse prevalent.The legal definition of rape is broad, making it challenging to prosecute.Weaknesses in the judicial system contribute to low conviction rates, fostering a culture of non-disclosure by survivors.Drug addiction is linked to the rise in rape incidents, creating a complex challenge for addressing and preventing sexual assault. Aim of the Study:To determine socio-demographic characteristics of alleged sexual assault cases in Dhaka city and to create public awareness of furious crime.Methods: This one-year (July 2022 to June 2023)prospective study at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh, focused on 172 sexually assaulted victims, exclusively female, from various areas in Dhaka city.The Forensic Medicine Department examined age, sex, religion, literacy, socioeconomic status, incident site, time interval between incident and examination, number and relationship of assailants, physical/genital examination findings, and evidence results.Exclusion criteria involved male survivors and single-center attendance.Data collected through structured sheets from the department's record book were presented in tables and graphs, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS on Windows.Result: In a retrospective analysis of 172 rape incidents, the majority of victims (69.19%) were aged 11-20, with minimal cases involving victims over 50.Unmarried individuals constituted 57.56%, and educational backgrounds varied.Most cases (48.84%) involved victims assaulted by their boyfriends, followed by husbands (13.95%) and neighbors (12.21%).Incidents mainly occurred at the accused person's residence (71.51%), with varying times for medical examination.Geographically, South Dhaka reported 62.79% of cases, while North Dhaka accounted for 37.21%.The study provides insights into the demographics, relationships, locations, and examination timing of reported rape cases.Conclusion: The study exposes a disturbingly high incidence of rape in Bangladesh, particularly affecting young females though elder woman are not exclude of this incident.Perpetrators, often acquaintances and boyfriends, contribute to delayed reporting and examination challenges, hindering evidence collection.