To guard against losing evidence, the nurse lays a sheet down on the tile floor of the exam room and tops it with plain white paper that's ordinarily used to cover the exam table. The victim undresses on the paper and the nurse secures her clothing and the paper together in a bag. The nurses use an ultraviolet light to examine the woman's body head to toe. The lamp makes semen and other body fluid glow under its light. In the privacy of the exam room, the victim is often willing to talk more candidly about the attack, Grant said.
Many victims are ashamed to tell the police they've been sodomized, for example.
And the exam itself can reveal clues, such as a scratch or bruise, that can jog the victim's memory. Their adrenaline is pumped up and they don't feel it. It's not always DNA evidence they're looking for. Documenting bruises and other injuries can support a woman's version of events. Even damage to clothing can be important.