12th December 2008

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Young women should put their safety first in the run up to the festive season – that’s the message from University of Ulster researchers who have just published a study into female sexual assault.

The research - which is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland - explores the relationship between physical injuries resulting from sexual attack and other factors such as age, alcohol consumption sexual experience. 

The research team, based at Ulster’s School of Biomedical Sciences, examined 164 sexual assault cases between 2002 and 2006 in the greater Belfast area.

Their findings revealed: 

• Over 75 % of victims were aged under 28

 

• Almost 45 %  were under 20

 

• Two-thirds of victims had consumed alcohol prior to the attack

 

• Nearly one-third were not fully aware of what happened due to alcohol

 

• Victims reporting alcohol consumption had more body injuries

 

• Over 50% of victims were assaulted by people known to them

 

• Significantly more genital injury was associated with acquaintance rapes

 

• Sexually active women had a higher rate of body injury

    

Dr Winne Maguire, a forensic doctor with the PSNI, conducted the study as part of her Masters in Forensic and Legal Medicine at Ulster.

She said:  “This study confirms that age is the biggest risk factor for sexual assault with 44% of complainants having been 20 years of age or less. This may reflect the lifestyles and circumstances of young women or their socialising with males less than 25 years who have the highest incidence of criminal behaviour. Body injury such as bruises, abrasions, and lacerations was more prevalent in women under 30 years and was strongly associated with alcohol consumption prior to assault. 

"These findings highlight the dangers that drinking alcohol can have for women, and clearly demonstrates that the teens and twenties are the age groups at greatest risk for sexual assault. Alcohol reduces inhibitions and the ability to assess risks leaving women, who are drinking, more vulnerable to sexual assault.”

"I think the message to young women is simply to put safety first when socialising. If drinking alcohol, remain sober enough to make a rational decision, stay together in a group of friends, look out for each other and organise to get home safely.” 

Research supervisor, Dr Tara Moore, added: "Rape is an extreme act of interpersonal violence which may have a severe and detrimental impact on the health of an individual. It is also a serious sexual offence with a low conviction rate in Northern Ireland. Therefore, documentation of injuries and the identification of associated factors in rape cases may help inform the police and legal system. It may also assist policy development targeted at reducing the incidence of sexual violence.”

Injury in adult female sexual assault complainants and related factors, by Dr Winifred Maguire, Dr Tara Moore and Dr Edward Goodall, will be published in the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.  

This study also received best research presentation at a recent Royal Society of Medicine conference hosted by the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine in London.

 

For further information, please contact:

Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter