Janine McMinn

Objective: Sexual violence affects 22% of Australian women, posing health and justice challenges. Systemic failures, fragmented data, and low conviction rates hinder effective responses. This study integrates Australian Capital Territory (ACT) medical and policing datasets to examine victim characteristics and case progression from clinical presentation to legal outcomes. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 2179 deidentified cases of female sexual assault victims presenting to Forensic and Medical Sexual Assault Care (FAMSAC) between 2004 and 2022. De‐identified patient variables and ACT Policing data were integrated and analyzed to examine victim characteristics and case progression from medical consultation to legal outcomes. Results: Of 2179 females presenting for forensic and medical care, 41.8% reported to ACT Policing, 19.2% progressed to court and 10.4% of cases resulted in a conviction. Drug use (14.9%) was negatively associated with case progression, while alcohol use and pre‐existing mental health conditions showed no significant effect. No victim, assailant, or medical factors were associated with conviction outcomes. Among cases withdrawn at the policing stage, anal penetration, forensic photography, and presentation outside business hours were associated with continuation to court. Overall, 54.3% of cases that proceeded to court resulted in conviction. Conclusion: Through collaborative practices, this study establishes a baseline for continuous system review from forensic medical presentation to court outcome. Legal outcomes were independent of victim characteristics, assault details, and medical findings, with attrition at every stage. Medical documentation alone could not predict conviction, though it may support the finders of fact. Further research is needed to assess whether medical evidence influences police action, court pleas, and convictions.

Objective: To determine the associations between lid and conjunctival injuries (LACI), non‐fatal strangulation (NFS) and domestic family violence (DFV) in non‐sexual assault.Methods: The present study involves an analysis of LACI in a clinical audit of 85 sequential non‐sexual assault presentations.Results: LACI was present in 26.9% of non‐sexual assault cases, and 47.4% of LACI patients also experienced NFS. LACI was sustained in the context of DFV in 62.9% of cases. Females made up 69.2% of LACI patients, with those between 14 and 29 years most at risk. Children were present in 12.8% of cases, 78.2% of perpetrators were male and 44.9% of patients had previously been assaulted by the same perpetrator.Conclusions: LACI is frequently associated with NFS and/or DFV. Since NFS increases future homicide attempts and events more than sixfold, LACI is an important signal about a patient's homicide risk, expanding the dimensions of the care needed. Those experiencing LACI during an assault also need to be referred for comprehensive eye examination as soon as possible. With consent, systematic forensic photography of LACI enables its assessment and documentation, which assists the legal process. These conclusions should drive legislative consideration and reform, plus expanded education for clinicians and police.