Sexual Assault

· Triage to GYN or Medicine; they will provide the relevant documentation.

· If consulted, provide psychiatric care, including diagnosis of active illness, evaluation of risk to self or others, support, treatment, arrangements for follow-up, and any other appropriate care, but avoid nonpsychiatric aspects of the situation.

· Avoid a detailed, police-like report of the events and circumstances surrounding the assault.

· Avoid the inclusion of negative social history which is not clinically relevant, considering that it can be used in court to diminish the victim's credibility.

· Avoid use of words which may have unintended meaning: "abnormal", as in "abnormal adjustment reaction"; "disorder", which may also imply abnormal, maladaptive behavior; "rape", which is a legal term that should be used only in patient quotes or together with "reported" ("reported rape"); "alleged", where "reported" is more accurate; "refuses", as in "refuses exam", where "declines examination at this time" is fairer.