Non-Threatening Forensic Exams

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (March 31, 2010) — The Baltimore Child Abuse Center (BCAC) has been committed to ending child sexual abuse in Maryland since it opened its doors in 1987. Today, the BCAC helps abuse victims and their families cope with the trauma of abuse, coordinating with local law enforcement authorities to help bring abusers to justice and ensure that the victims and families have all the resources they need to help them heal.

Something that deeply concerned the BCAC staff was that children who had been sexually abused were not only victims of what had been done to them by their abusers, but were being unintentionally re-victimized by a long and often difficult investigative process. So they developed a response program that has resulted in timely, child-sensitive investigations of child sexual abuse in Baltimore City.

A key component of their program is a forensic medical examination. The forensic exam discovers and documents the physical evidence of abuse. It’s especially crucial for cases in which the victim is too young to understand and articulate what was done to them and when the children are too shy or frightened to talk about the abuse.

The Challenge
BCAC wants children and their families to feel safe and comfortable during this process, and they do everything possible to make the forensic medical exam less intimidating than it sounds. On the forefront of this effort is Dr. Mesa Leventhal-Baker, the medical director of the BCAC and a forensic pediatrician who sees hundreds of cases of molestation every year in her practice with the Center.

“During my twelve years with BCAC, I believe I have probably performed more child sexual abuse exams than anyone else in the state, so I’m very sensitive to how anxious and scared a child can be about being abused,” commented Dr. Baker. “A high percentage of children don’t tell anyone at first. The youngest victims, those under age six, are least likely to disclose anything. So the first thing we have to do is make sure they feel very safe, especially during an intimate exam.”

Dr. Baker not only examines children for signs of sexual abuse, she also checks for signs of physical abuse, neglect and any other untreated medical conditions. As part of the examination process, she must capture evidence of abuse and neglect with a complete photographic record of the exam to document her findings for possible use in court.

“We used to use an analog video camera that could also take still photos. When it came time to upgrade to newer equipment, we were hoping to find something less intimidating and scary-looking than the big, tri-pod mounted cameras we had been using.”

The Solution: GlobalMed TotalExam Handheld Camera
The BCAC team was pleased to discover GlobalMed’s TotalExam™ handheld examination camera. The versatile, highly effective TotalExam camera is the first small handheld camera that can function as an analog amera with S-Video or a digital camera with USB-Live connection image feed. It features five different light temperatures, including two for ultra-violet, and allows freeze frame capture and electronic image polarization for maximum flexibility.

The TotalExam camera links to a VCR, a TV and a computer, which allows real time viewing and automatic capture of images to document the forensic examinations. The small, lightweight bright blue photo wand looks more like an ultra-sound device than a camera, which Dr. Baker says is more fascinating than frightening for the kids, making it an excellent device for documenting abuse in children.

“The kids love the camera. They’re naturally self-centered and interested in their bodies. So when I start an exam now, I usually scan the wand over the child’s whole body so the kids can see the images of themselves on the screen. This helps them feel OK about the process and makes the exam all about them, not just the abuse.”

Dr. Baker explained that allowing the children to watch the exam relieves anxiety because they can see exactly what the doctor is doing. There’s nothing scary or threatening or secretive about it. In fact, she finds that kids, especially little kids who don’t like doctors to begin with, really enjoy this. It helps them relax so that they’re feeling very comfortable with the process by the time she does the genital and anal examination for signs of abuse.

Another benefit Dr. Baker appreciates about the TotalExam camera is that the electronically captured images can be easily transmitted to other doctors for a second opinion or consultations with other specialists. They also constitute irrefutable evidence of specific abuse that can be presented in court.

Concluded Dr. Baker, “Our goal is to eliminate the sexual abuse of children. But until that day comes, we’re glad to have tools like the TotalExam camera to help create a safe and non-threatening environment in which these little victims can begin to cope and heal.”