Opinion ID: 1742617
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence of victim's emotional injury.

Text: The evidence of A.H.'s emotional injury was directly relevant to prove that she was sexually assaulted, an element of the Commonwealth's case-in-chief. The evidence became even more relevant when Appellant denied that the assault occurred. We reject Appellant's assertion that this evidence was inadmissible as indirect evidence of Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome. Although this is an issue of first impression in Kentucky, other jurisdictions have permitted evidence of a victim's emotional state following a sexual assault as proof that the assault, in fact, occurred. See, e.g., Simmons v. State, 504 N.E.2d 575, 581 (Ind.1987) (trial court did not abuse discretion in admitting testimony from family members that following rape, victim became afraid to go outside by herself, stayed at home more often, and feared for family members who went out alone, concluding that it was probative of fact that victim had been raped); State v. Bishop, 240 Kan. 647, 732 P.2d 765, 774 (1987) (victim's testimony that she received counseling as a result of being raped was circumstantial evidence that she had been raped); State v. Dube, 598 A.2d 742, 746 (Me.1991) (Evidence of changes in the victim's personality and behavior immediately after the time of the reported assault tends to prove that something of a traumatic nature had in fact occurred and thus was clearly relevant to the State's case.); Parker v. State, 156 Md.App. 252, 846 A.2d 485, 497-98 (2004) (jury could legitimately infer that victim's behavior changed due to rape from the fact that abrupt behavioral change[s] occurred closely on the heels of the rape); State v. Seiter, 949 S.W.2d 218, 223 (Mo.Ct.App.1997) (experts and laymen can testify about their observations concerning physical and psychological changes in the victim because such evidence helps to prove the elements of the sexual offense, itself, and thus may be admitted to show the offense did, in fact, occur); State v. Cosey, 873 P.2d 1177, 1181-82 (Utah Ct.App.1994) (testimony of victim's mother contrasting victim's behavior prior to the incident with that after the incident was properly admitted as relevant circumstantial evidence that a traumatic experience such as rape has occurred); State v. Shaw, 149 Vt. 275, 542 A.2d 1106, 1107-08 (1987) (evidence of changes in the complainant's personality was material to the key question of whether a sexual assault occurred). We agree with these other courts and hold that evidence that A.H. visited a rape crisis center for treatment was relevant to prove that she was sexually assaulted.