Persistence of spermatozoa: lessons learned from going to the sources

The forensic science literature is permeated with various studies that attempt to determine how long spermatozoa can persist in the vaginal cavity and cervix. Forensic practitioners, nurses, investigators, and attorneys need accurate information generated from reliable studies in order to assess the timing of a sexual encounter and the likelihood of obtaining interpretable DNA results. During the investigation of a sexual assault, questions often arise about how long after initial deposition spermatozoa can be detected on vaginal and cervical swabs and at what point the samples are no longer worth testing.
Source: Science and Justice - Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research