de Villiers F P
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
S Afr Med J. 1992 May 16;81(10):520-3.
Doctors who have to give evidence in cases of physical or sexual child abuse usually find it a stressful experience. Factors that may help to improve the doctor's ability to cope with the situation are discussed in this article. The importance of good medical notes and a good medical examination is stressed. Hints are given on how to minimise the inevitable delays that precede a court appearance. The hearsay rule means that the history the doctor obtains is not accepted as evidence. The medical procedure, which involves using various facts to build up a complete picture, is contrasted with the legal procedure, which involves testing each separate fact in order to create reasonable doubt that the accused may be guilty. Some common questions put to the doctor are discussed here. They include questions as to whether causes other than abuse, such as masturbation, infection or the use of other instruments, could have damaged the hymen or vagina.
在涉及儿童身体虐待或性虐待案件中提供证据的医生通常会觉得这是一次压力巨大的经历。本文讨论了可能有助于提高医生应对这种情况能力的因素。强调了良好病历记录和全面医学检查的重要性。文中给出了一些关于如何尽量减少出庭前不可避免的延误的提示。传闻证据规则意味着医生获取的病史不被当作证据。医学程序是利用各种事实构建完整情况，而法律程序是对每个单独事实进行检验，以制造对被告是否有罪的合理怀疑，两者形成对比。这里讨论了一些向医生提出的常见问题。这些问题包括除虐待外的其他原因，如手淫、感染或使用其他器具，是否可能导致处女膜或阴道受损。
