Search

More children suspected of having been sexually abused are being evaluated by healthcare providers. Confirmation of sexual abuse is based laboratory information, forensic evidence and detailed information of the events. Interviews with the victimized child and parents are used to obtain a detailed descriptions of events. Anatomically correct dolls (dolls with correct sexual parts) are used during the interviewing process to help the interviewer obtain information. The dolls are made in both black and white, adult males and females, and boys and girls. To determine whether anatomically correct dolls are helpful during diagnostic interviews, the records of 83 sexually abused children under the age of seven years were evaluated. The dolls were used in 60 cases (72 percent). More information regarding the event and the abuser was provided by the child when the anatomically correct dolls were used, but they were not helpful in interviews with children under three years of age. The likelihood of abuse was rated in two ways: the likelihood based on physical evidence and interviews using anatomically correct dolls; and the likelihood based on physical evidence alone without interview. The likelihood of sexual abuse was higher in 35 percent of the cases when the dolls were used during the interview. The use of anatomically correct dolls is important and helpful in diagnosing sexual abuse; use of the dolls increases the likelihood of detecting the abuse. The skill and expertise of the interviewer must be considered when obtaining information during sexual abuse interviews with young children. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)