THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For a sexual assault survivor, the medical examination is nothing but a traumatising experience. Making a marked difference from the protocol that mandates the survivors to undergo a detailed physical examination irrespective of the time of the assault, the state health department has released a revised Kerala Medico-Legal Protocol for Survivor of Sexual Offences 2019. The new protocol that is touted to be more survivor and gender-friendly recommends detailed physical examination based on circumstances. The new protocol that replaces the Kerala Medico-Legal Code 2015 also proposes a new Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) Kit.
“The revised protocol formulated for sexual assault evidence collection will become a national model. Its main objective is to provide relief to the survivors and ensure their privacy and security,” said Health Minister K K Shailaja after releasing the protocol at a function at Trivandrum Press Club on Wednesday.
Through the revised protocol the state has adopted the concept of not inflicting further trauma to the survivor for the sake of medical examination, said forensic medicine chief consultant and police surgeon Dr P B Gujral.
He said the problem with the previous protocol was that it was like a blanket one. “No matter the assault had happened 24 hours ago or two years or 15 years ago the same protocol is followed. What’s the point in collecting an anal and rectal swab or oral swab in incidents that are reported 15 years ago? The revised protocol addresses such unrealistic mandates. Based on the feedback received from various quarters especially from the Forensic Division we decided to restructure the SAFE Kit,” he said. This will help reduce the expenses and preserve samples more effectively.