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Results are presented of amylase tests performed on more than 400 casework swabs using Phadebas tablets. Amylase levels indicative of saliva were obtained from 25% of the penile swabs tested, 32% of the vaginal swabs and 50% of the breast swabs. The longest time interval between the offence and sampling when such levels were detected was 16 hours for penile swabs, 55 hours for vaginal swabs and 30 hours for breast swabs.

A survey was carried out of sexual assault cases submitted to the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory during 1988 and 1989. There were 104 cases with male victims, and 1403 with females. In the all-male offences, fellatio was reported in 34%; nearly two-thirds of the acts were by the offender, one-third by the victim. In the offences on females, oral-genital acts were alleged in 22%, 78% of which were fellatio, and 22% cunnilingus. The majority of offenders were white. The few Afro-Caribbeans studied rarely performed oral sex on males or very young females.

The numbers and types of all sexual offences examined at the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory during the years 1978-1986 are presented. The largest number of sexual assaults took place during the month of August; they were mainly intra-racial and between adults of 18 to 30 years of age. A detailed breakdown is given of the offences against females recorded on the Sexual Assault Index. All these assaults were carried out by adult males, mainly strangers. Nearly half the assaults took place indoors, where victims were more likely to be bound and blindfolded, compared with one-third outdoors and one-sixth in vehicles. About one-fifth of the crimes were carried out by two men or more, and in one-third of cases, weapons were carried. Oral intercourse occurred in one-sixth and anal intercourse in one-twelfth of the offences, both performed more by white males and those of Mediterranean origin.