Is amnesia in women victims of sexual assault a risk factor for developing PTSD symptoms ?

Article Article scientifique Article Is amnesia in women victims of sexual assault a risk factor for developing PTSD symptoms ? eng 2025-10-06 author Jantzi Camille 0009-0005-4147-7862 934150 Institut de médecine légale (COLEG) author Demessence Thomas 937690 author Niveau Gérard 125863 author Abdulcadir Jasmine 0000-0001-6245-9181 796507 Département de Pédiatrie, Gynécologie et Obstétrique (PETRI) author Fracasso Tony 731584 Institut de médecine légale (COLEG) 1-8 10.1080/13218719.2025.2546314 1321-8719 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13218719.2025.2546314 This study investigated whether total or partial amnesia following sexual assault increases the risk of developing PTSD symptoms. We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 209 adult patients consulting the Gynaecology Emergency Department at Geneva University Hospitals after alleged sexual assault (2015–2017). Data included presence of amnesia, age, victim-perpetrator relationship, intoxication, gynecological lesions, observed/ reported PTSD symptoms, and psychiatric history. Amnesia was reported in 45.9% of cases, while 76.1% involved intoxication. PTSD-related symptoms (such as anxiety or dissociation) were noted in 37.3% of cases, with no significant difference between those with (32.3%) or without (41.6%) amnesia. Amnesia was more frequent in younger women, often intoxicated, and with unknown assailants. Our results indicate that amnesia after sexual assault is frequent but not associated with a higher prevalence of PTSD symptoms in the acute aftermath but is linked to other factors, such as age and intoxication. Sexual assault Victims PTSD Forensic medicine Intoxication Dewey 614.1 Dewey 618 67 Institut de médecine légale 22A2 58 Département de pédiatrie, gynécologie et obstétrique 223 false 1450 Vulve, clitoris et violences sexuelles 1067 953 Groupe Fracasso Tony 959 Psychiatry, psychology, and law ce58b873-7443-42b8-8948-9c3c5e968bdb Article (Published version) Public Is_amnesia_in_women_victims_of_sexu.pdf 224283 application/pdf CC BY-4.0 After correction 36443c4cae352aedc8309d00841303e70a587e248ea2d862e1b62c52a650f3e3 b39faec6-ccf1-42c9-bb4b-4462c217c896 Erratum Public Correction.pdf 98555 application/pdf fc53c6d13b94838657c862aacb2854223755b838df6c594727abacad8c77dc79 An error was found within the published author list which has been corrected online 10.1080/13218719.2025.2590530 openAccess Faculté de médecine / Section de médecine clinique / Département de santé et médecine communautaires / Institut de médecine légale Faculté de médecine / Section de médecine clinique / Département de pédiatrie, gynécologie et obstétrique

Title	Published in	Access level	OA Policy	Year	Views	Downloads

Is amnesia in women victims of sexual assault a risk factor for developing PTSD symptoms ?	Psychiatry, psychology, and law			2025	24	68

Archive ouverte UNIGE

Demessence, Thomas