{"title":"Prevalence of male DNA on female worn undergarments. How small datasets may support robust opinions in activity level evaluative reporting","authors":"R. Roersma , J. Storm , J. Joling , B. Kokshoorn","doi":"10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112097","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In cases of sexual assault, the interpretation of biological traces on clothing, and particularly undergarments, may be complex. This is especially so when the complainant and defendant interact socially, for instance as (ex-)partners or by co-habitation. Here we present the results from a study where latent male DNA on female worn undergarments is recovered in four groups with different levels of male-female social interaction. The results conform to prior expectation, in that less interaction tend to result in less male DNA on undergarments. We explore the use of these experimental data for evaluative reporting given activity level propositions in a mock case scenario. We show how the selection of different populations to represent the social interaction between complainant and defendant may affect the strength of the evidence. We further show how datasets of limited size can be used for robust activity level evaluative reporting.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12341,"journal":{"name":"Forensic science international","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073824001786/pdfft?md5=6470c24f7b2cf3e3633342770430f4af&pid=1-s2.0-S0379073824001786-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Forensic science international","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379073824001786","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MEDICINE, LEGAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In cases of sexual assault, the interpretation of biological traces on clothing, and particularly undergarments, may be complex. This is especially so when the complainant and defendant interact socially, for instance as (ex-)partners or by co-habitation. Here we present the results from a study where latent male DNA on female worn undergarments is recovered in four groups with different levels of male-female social interaction. The results conform to prior expectation, in that less interaction tend to result in less male DNA on undergarments. We explore the use of these experimental data for evaluative reporting given activity level propositions in a mock case scenario. We show how the selection of different populations to represent the social interaction between complainant and defendant may affect the strength of the evidence. We further show how datasets of limited size can be used for robust activity level evaluative reporting.
在性侵犯案件中,对衣物特别是内衣上的生物痕迹的解释可能很复杂。尤其是当原告和被告有社会交往时,例如作为(前)伴侣或同居。在此,我们介绍了一项研究的结果,该研究在男女社会交往程度不同的四个群体中,对女性内衣上潜藏的男性 DNA 进行了复原。结果与之前的预期相符,即互动越少,内衣上的男性 DNA 就越少。我们在模拟案例中探讨了如何将这些实验数据用于活动水平命题的评估报告。我们展示了选择不同的人群来代表原告和被告之间的社会互动会如何影响证据的强度。我们还进一步展示了如何利用规模有限的数据集进行稳健的活动水平评估报告。
期刊介绍:
Forensic Science International is the flagship journal in the prestigious Forensic Science International family, publishing the most innovative, cutting-edge, and influential contributions across the forensic sciences. Fields include: forensic pathology and histochemistry, chemistry, biochemistry and toxicology, biology, serology, odontology, psychiatry, anthropology, digital forensics, the physical sciences, firearms, and document examination, as well as investigations of value to public health in its broadest sense, and the important marginal area where science and medicine interact with the law.
The journal publishes:
Case Reports
Commentaries
Letters to the Editor
Original Research Papers (Regular Papers)
Rapid Communications
Review Articles
Technical Notes.