Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40075001›Full record

SynthesisForensic science, medicine, and pathology2025

Risk factors associated with drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) compared with non-DFSA - a systematic review.

Marina Rasmussen, Johannes Rødbro Busch, Mikkel Jon Henningsen, Jytte Banner

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Forensic science, medicine, and pathology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Marina RasmussenDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Section of Forensic Pathology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. marina.rasmussen@sund.ku.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5677-3764
Johannes Rødbro BuschDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Section of Forensic Pathology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4275-2609
Mikkel Jon HenningsenDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4331-6094
Jytte BannerDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Section of Forensic Pathology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7559-1285

Funding

The Danish Victims Fund 21-610-00139
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeCriminological and interpersonal covariates are different in drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) and sexual assault in general. These observations are based on retrospective survey-only data from victims who were not examined clinically in the acute setting.  This study aims to review the current literature reporting data specifically on clinically examined victims of suspected DFSA and associated interpersonal and criminological covariates.

methodsIn this systematic review, we searched PubMed/Medline and Embase for studies on DFSA reporting interpersonal or criminological covariates in victims older than 15 years and clinically examined within seven days of assault. Two authors independently screened studies for inclusion and extracted data. Meta-analysis was not possible due to different definitions of DFSA in the included studies. 

resultsThe search yielded 1,350 hits. Thirty-one observational studies, case-control studies, and descriptive studies were included for a total of 14,727 observations. Twenty-two studies reported DFSA as a covariate in other research contexts. The most reported covariates were age, sex, and injuries.

conclusionThe published data are sparse, varying, and often reported as secondary outcomes or epidemiological data. The varying definitions of DFSA preclude meta-analysis and hinder efforts to help victims of DFSA. An internationally agreed-upon consensus definition of DFSA should be established to overcome this challenge.  More knowledge regarding DFSA is necessary to investigate if DFSA victims experience different barriers to seeking both medical and judicial help than SA victims in general.

Indexed as

Crime VictimsSex OffensesSubstance-Related DisordersHumansRisk FactorsDrug-facilitated sexual assaultDrug rapeRisk factorsSystematic review

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.