Read Online Without Consent by Kathryn Fox - Free Book Online Page A

The first was that forensic physicians—and victims, for that matter—weren’t expert at photography and the equipment didn’t produce perfect images. Secondly, it was a lot different looking at a 2D photo without seeing the whole area first-hand. A photo could be misleading, just like a picture of a car didn’t explain how fast the car was travelling.
    And normal photos didn’t exclude sexual assault having taken place. Besides, there was debate as to what constituted normal and abnormal, given that couples having consensual sex didn’t tend to agree to have their genitals photographed after the event for signs of minor injuries.
    Mary Singer studied the finger where her wedding ring used to be. “These people have already been abused. Imagine the degradation and emotion involved in displaying photos of them to strangers, and maybe even the perpetrator.”
    “It’s no different from presenting pictures of a homicide victim.”
    “It’s very different,” Anya replied. “Dead is dead. You can’t argue over a body that death didn’t occur. The onus here is on the victim to convince a jury the assault took place. He or she is still alive, reliving the horror of the assault, for years if there is a trial, not to mention appeals. Without a victim giving evidence, there is no trial.”
    “What’s the alternative, presenting nothing?” The policeman threw his hands in the air.
    “No, there are other alternatives,” Anya emphasized. “We can work better with the analytical laboratories and determine the most effective means of collecting evidence when we do our examinations. Should we use dental floss to increase the yield of DNA more often? Should we be taking more swabs for the presence of condom lubricants? That’s what we need to do. There is no study in existence showing what is normal on colposcopy after consensual intercourse, so showing photographs we ‘think’ show the effects of nonconsensual sex would be laughed out of court. If you use science to prove a case, you need it to be impeccable.”
    Jennifer Beck studied the papers. “I take your point. Perhaps Lyndsay’s team could perform a pilot study. But for now, why don’t you try taking photos of the victims’ state—clothing, and any visible injuries on their faces or hands. Anything that could help us.”
    Mary Singer refused to look up or comment, but the others tentatively agreed.
    Anya wasn’t that restrained. “If the victims are properly informed about photography and its potential uses, fewer women will consent to examinations and you’ll have even less evidence.”
    “That’s a risk I’m prepared to take,” the prosecutor proclaimed.
    It always astounded Anya that lawyers and police didn’t feel the need to understand the science behind the evidence they depended on. They just wanted to manipulate it for their own advantage. The lack of scientific studies on post-intercourse physical findings would sink any prosecution’s case. So Jennifer Beck wanted victims to have invasive procedures done and photographed, for no real benefit.
    Beck and Veronica Slater had more in common by the minute.
    Lyndsay moved on to the next item on the agenda: nurse practitioners performing sexual-assault examinations and having the doctors interpret the evidence.
    Anya decided this battle could wait. She collected her papers and left the meeting.

11
     
    Geoff watched his mother leave for bingo at the senior citizens’ club and immediately announced his need to buy more underwear at the shops. Nick thought it was a good idea and drove his cousin to the center. For the first time since leaving prison, Geoff had a few hours to himself.
    Alone, Sunny checked the buttons were done up on his shirt. He didn’t want to appear sloppy, and so he rubbed the tips of each shoe on the backs of his trousers. It’s what he’d seen men do in the movies before they saw their girls. His palms sweated on the tissue paper keeping the flowers together and some