Differentiating Between Genuine Damage and Falsified Damage to a Garment Following an Alleged Sexual Assault

Williams, Graham and Haider, Imran (2012) Differentiating Between Genuine Damage and Falsified Damage to a Garment Following an Alleged Sexual Assault. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 57 (6). pp. 1634-1636. ISSN 0022-1198

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Abstract

An allegation of sexual assault was made in which a bra was torn off by the assailant causing extensive damage; however, it was
observed that the hook and eye fastening was still intact. It was felt that it was not possible for a garment to receive such damage without damage to
the hook and eye fastening, thus indicating that the complainant caused the damage to the bra herself to support a false allegation. Reconstruction
experiments were conducted in which the conditions of the allegation were simulated utilizing a range of similar bras. Following the infliction of
damage, the hook and eye fastenings were examined. In eight of nine experiments, the hook and eye fastening were intact, despite the application of
enough force to cause separation of the bra cups in five of the experiments. This shows that bras may suffer extensive damage without damage to
the hook and eye fastening.

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