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Forensic photography in a sexual assault treatment unit: Insights from an Irish pilot evaluation
Catherine Marsh1,2, Christine Pucillo2, Deirdra Richardson2
1Spark Innovation Programme, Health Service Executive, Dublin, Ireland.
Objective:
Accurate and timely injury documentation is essential to post-sexual assault care. Irish Sexual Assault Treatment Units (SATUs) have generally relied on police photographers to photo-document these injuries, leading to potential delays and additional patient distress. International models show that on-site forensic photography by trained forensic examiners improves efficiency and evidentiary quality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and service impact of introducing forensic photography by forensic examiners within an Irish SATU.
Methods:
An 11-month quality improvement pilot was undertaken at the Dublin SATU. A human-centered design approach incorporated staff surveys, forensic examiner reflections, observations and consultation with collaborating agencies. Eligible cases included patient's ≥14 years with visible (non-genital) injuries, examined by SATU forensic examiners who had completed additional training in forensic photography as part of the pilot and who provided informed consent for inclusion in research.
Results:
Of 370 attending patients, 258 (69.7%) underwent a forensic examination. Among these, 69 (26.7%) were examined by pilot-trained staff and 23 (33.3%) consented to photography, representing 8.9% of the total cohort. Photography added a mean of 9 min to examination time. Examiner confidence improved substantially over the period of the pilot, and a secure chain-of-custody was established. Patient feedback indicated reduced anxiety when photography occurred within the SATU setting. A total of 103 patients with injuries in the non-pilot group received no photo-documentation due to unavailability of trained staff at the time of examination.
Conclusion:
The introduction of forensic photography within the Dublin SATU proved feasible, acceptable and legally robust. This pilot supports the integration of forensic photography as a trauma-informed component of sexual assault care and provides a foundation for national and international service development.
