In this Bell Work Talks, Dr. Farst will discuss common challenges faced in courtroom settings by medical providers when presenting the facts that the majority of children who have been sexually abused will not have residual visible physical injuries on examination. This could include being summoned to pre-trial hearings, formulating strategies to explain the issue to judges/jurors and use of published articles to mis-represent the established standard of care that the absence of physical findings does not discount the possibility of prior sexual abuse.

Dr. Farst has worked as a child abuse pediatrician with the Team for Children at Risk at Arkansas Children’s Hospital since 2004. She completed undergraduate and medical school training at Texas Tech University. Following residency training in internal medicine and pediatrics, she was in primary care private practice for 3 years. During this time, she served as a volunteer medical provider for a community-based CAC and decided to pursue child abuse pediatrics as a career. After completing a fellowship in child abuse pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital she returned to practice at AR Children’s Hospital and now serves as the medical director for the Team for Children at Risk and is a professor of pediatrics with the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Dr. Farst has provided numerous local and national presentations regarding the medical evaluation and management of child abuse and neglect and directs the Support for Health Involved Professionals at Safety Centers for the CAC’s of Arkansas.

Resources:

* Adams J, et al. Interpretation of Medical Findings in Suspected Child Sexual Abuse: An Update for 2018. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2018. Jun;31(3):225-231 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29294380/ (open access)

* Hornor G. A normal ano-genital exam: Sexual abuse or not? J Pediatr Health Care 2010;24(3).

* Smith T. Anogenital Findings in 3569 Pediatric Examinations for Sexual Abuse/Assault. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2018;31:79e83

* Kotze. Child sexual abuse: The significance of the history and testifying on non-confirmatory findings. PHCFM, 2019 https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/1954/3152 (open access)

* Frasier and Makoroff. Medical evidence and expert testimony in child sexual abuse. Juv and Family Court Journal 2006;57(1)