---
title: "Sexual Assault"
url: https://mghmclean.org/residents/handbk/part2a/sex.htm
description: "· Triage to GYN or Medicine; they will provide the relevant documentation."
published: 2026-08-10
updated: 2026-08-10
---

# Sexual Assault

Published 2026-08-10

PART 3 / CH 22

· 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.