NCJ Number
108886
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: (1987) Pages: 545-546
Date Published
1987
Length
546 pages
Annotation
Data from examinations performed on girls brought to the Denver Family Crisis Center confirm a previous report that a vaginal opening of more than 4 mm. (VO+), is indicative of child sexual abuse. These findings have implications for court cases when a defense attorney insists on another examination which may be months after initial evaluation.
Abstract
The observed enlargement proved to be reliably predictive in 74 percent of the cases, meaning that in 70 of 95 of the cases a history of sexual abuse (H+) was given by the child which explained the enlarged vaginal opening. The predictive value was brought to 80 percent (76 of 95 cases) when six girls, originally reported to be VO+, H-, were reexamined because a subsequent sexual abuse allegation was reported. These girls were able to retract their false denial at the time of the first evaluation, stating that sexual abuse had occurred when they were first examined. In observing changes of the vaginal opening over time, it is indicated that without further sexual abuse the vaginal opening tends to heal. 1 table and 1 reference. (Author abstract modified)