Medical expert in rape case says exam ‘highly suggestive’ of sexual assault

A doctor testifying in a rape trial on Friday told the High Court that the presence of a hymen does not rule out sexual penetration, and the examination of the alleged victim in this case was “highly suggestive” of sexual assault.

“It should be noted that it is a myth that once a female has sexual intercourse that the hymen magically disappears. It does not. It is a very stretchy piece of tissue and can stretch even in virgins without any signs of bruising, lacerations or tears,” said Dr Erika Thomas, a specialist in emergency medicine with a sub-specialty in sexual assault management.

She was giving evidence in the No. 3A Supreme Court during the trial of 31-year-old Jamel Lorenzo Hunte of New Orleans, St Michael, who is accused of having sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 14, at a secondary school, on June 15, 2023.

Dr Thomas told the court that extensive research over the years had shown that “35 per cent of virgin survivors of sexual assaults may not have overt findings of tears, lacerations or bruising”.

The doctor said she examined the 12-year-old complainant a few hours after the alleged incident and found an annular hymen, no visible bruises or tears, and a small amount of bloodtinged discharge in the vaginal vault — which she said could be suggestive of micro-tears or fissures during penetration.

“I cannot say definitively that sexual assault did occur,” Dr Thomas told the jury. “However, her examination was highly suggestive of sexual assault.”

She added that the accused was brought to her office the following day by police, consented to provide samples for DNA testing, and underwent a clinical examination. No defensive wounds or scratches were found on his body, she said under cross-examination by defence attorney Ricardo Harrison.

The trial, which is being heard by Justice Anthony Blackman, is being prosecuted by Principal State Counsel Rudolph Burnett and State Counsels Anastacia McMeo-Boyce and Treann Knight.