The Importance of Distinguishing Menstrual and Peripheral Blood in Forensic Casework: A Case Report

This report presents a case of an 18-year-old woman found unconscious by police officers outside a club suspected to be victim of a sexual assault. She was not able to give information about the dynamics of the assault, since she was under the effect of a high amount of alcohol. She affirmed to be virgin.The forensic genetic analyses were performed on vaginal and rectal swabs as well as bloody-like traces present on the slip. DNA and RNA analysis were performed using a multiplex for 15 autosomal short tandem repeat markers and of 19 primers specific for different tissues, respectively.No male DNA was identified on vaginal and rectal swabs and on blood spots on the underwear. Blood, vaginal, and skin markers were scored observed in the samples obtained from slip traces and vaginal swab.The forensic genetic analysis supports the proposition that the victim had a sexual intercourse, in the absence of male biological material, in a case where the victim, altered by high blood alcohol levels, was unable to provide information.