Rape as a crime of war: a medical perspective

Article Abstract:

Medical professionals can play an important role not only in the treatment of rape survivors during war but also in documenting the occurrence of rape as a war crime. Because rape is an under-reported crime, especially during wartime,doctors and nurses should be aware of the physical signs of rape. They include injuries to, or mutilation of, genitalia and adjacent pelvic areas, patches of hair missing from the back of the head, bruising on the chest or arms and other signs of the use of force. Physicians can gather evidence on the incidence of rape by assessing data on pregnancies due to rape, abortion rates, deliveries and sexually transmitted diseases. Rape may not be the only trauma suffered by the survivor during the war. Health professionals should be especially sensitive to the fact that the need for human rights documentation may conflict with the emotional needs of the survivor. Health professionals must develop guidelines to limit further traumatization of rape survivors while allowing for the collection of data on human rights abuses.

Health aspects, Military aspects, War crimes, Rape, Women in war

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Health care crisis from a trauma center perspective: the LA story

Article Abstract:

The forestalled closure of the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California (LAC-USC) Medical Center illustrates the severe problems faced by publicly financed municipal hospitals. Los Angeles County proposed closing the hospital, one of the country's biggest and busiest, in 1995 because of budget shortfalls. Many people believe trauma centers serve mostly the poor but 87% of the uninsured residents of LA are employed or dependents of the employed. A government bailout has saved LAC-USC, and the hospital has identified cost-saving measures that can be implemented nationwide.

Analysis, Economic aspects, Trauma centers, Hospital closures

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