A study of victims of natural sexual offence in the Bankura district of West Bengal

The study highlights the salient features of natural sexual offence in the Bankura district of West Bengal during the period 2006–07. A retrospective study showed a rising trend during the period 2001 to 2006. Most of the victims were in the age group of 18–30 years and majority of the incidences occurred during the summer months of April to August. An overwhelming majority of 86.20% of the cases presented late for examination and revealed only old tears of the hymen on examination. Most of the victims were unmarried and in 16.09% they became pregnant after the act. A critical analysis of the findings along with the importance of early medical examination in such cases is presented in the paper.