The (in)significance of genital injury in rape and sexual assault

•Evidence of genital injury has traditionally played a significant role in the prosecution of rape and sexual assault.•Both consenting and non-consenting sexual contact may or may not result in genital injury.•Modern definitions of what constitutes rape question the validity of associating genital injury with the issue of consent.

The forensic significance of genital injury following rape and sexual assault has been the subject of considerable academic and research interest, in terms of the contribution it may provide to the body of evidence in criminal proceedings. This essay takes a critical look at such research, in the context of modern understandings of what actually constitutes rape and sexual assault. Written from the author's perspective as a forensic physician practising in Scotland, it illustrates the fascinating interface between medical evidence and the legal system.