An 18-year-old girl was brought to the hospital by her mother with history of sexual assault by her 24-year-old coworker in the factory. The mother doesn't want to inform the police. What will you do as the doctor in charge?

1. A

   Ask guardian for permission to do medicolegal examination

2. B

   Do medicolegal examination with consent of victim

3. C

   Do not collect materials required as forensic evidence

4. D

   Do not inform police

Appeared in: INI-CET EXAM -2025

Explanation

• The central issue is consent. In India, a person who is 18 years old is a legal adult.
• As an adult, the victim has the legal capacity to provide informed consent for her own medical treatment and examination.
• Therefore, the correct procedure is to explain the medicolegal examination to the victim and proceed only after obtaining her consent.
• The consent of a parent or guardian is not required for an adult patient.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: This is incorrect because the victim is 18 years old and legally an adult. Her guardian's permission is not required for the examination.
• Option C: This is a dereliction of duty. Collecting forensic evidence is a primary purpose of the medicolegal examination and is vital for any future legal action.
• Option D: This is illegal. Sexual assault is a cognizable offense, and under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), doctors are legally mandated to report such cases to the police.

Related Visual

• Visual 1: Flowchart - 'Medicolegal Protocol for Sexual Assault Survivors'. This flowchart would detail the steps from patient arrival to discharge, including consent, examination, evidence collection, mandatory reporting, medical treatment, and psychological support.

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Medicolegal responsibilities in sexual assault cases to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
• A nurse or doctor's primary allegiance is to the patient. In this case, it means respecting the 18-year-old's autonomy and right to consent for herself.
• Healthcare professionals must be aware of their mandatory reporting duties under Indian law (e.g., CrPC, POCSO Act). Failure to report can have legal consequences.
• What if the victim was 16 years old? The POCSO Act would apply. Consent would be required from the guardian, and reporting to the police would still be mandatory. The concept of consent from a minor in sexual assault cases is legally invalid.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the key legal fact in the scenario: the victim's age. Is she a minor or an adult?
• In this case, the victim is 18, which makes her a legal adult in India.
• Next, analyze the options based on the principles of medical consent for an adult. The adult patient's consent is the only valid consent.
• Evaluate the options against the legal duties of a doctor. Remember that reporting serious crimes like sexual assault is often mandatory.
• Eliminate options that violate the principles of patient autonomy (like asking a guardian for an adult's consent) or break the law (like not reporting the crime).
• Select the option that correctly balances patient rights (consent) with legal obligations.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Medicolegal responsibilities in sexual assault cases
• Stem keywords: 18-year-old, sexual assault, mother doesn't want to inform police, doctor in charge
• Lead-in keywords: What will you do
• Clinical cues: Victim's age of 18 is the critical detail, establishing her as a legal adult.
• Clinical cues: Mother's wish to not inform police creates an ethical and legal conflict for the doctor.

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