In Barcelona, a specialist forensic unit for sexual violence is urging victims to go to hospital as quickly as possible after an assault. The service, which also covers L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and is unique in Spain, says prompt care helps protect evidence and reduces re-victimisation.
The Institut de Medicina Legal i Ciències Forenses de Catalunya says time is critical for finding toxins and biological samples. Dr Geli Gallego, head of the forensic laboratory service, told Europa Press that one of the main problems is that some victims do not attend hospital immediately.
Dr María Martín, a forensic doctor with the unit, said victims should attend accident and emergency departments as soon as they can. She said that after 10 days, finding biological samples becomes very difficult or impossible. The unit began operating in early 2023 and was set up to shorten waiting times and avoid repeated examinations.
For judicial proceedings, the advice is to avoid showering, changing clothes, and to urinate as little as possible before being seen. The IMLCFC says this can help forensic teams detect possible toxins in urine. The unit has 25 professionals working mainly for Barcelona and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, with doctors on 24-hour shifts responding to hospital or court requests.
Once at hospital, forensic doctors work with gynaecology for women, general surgery for men, and paediatrics for minors. They take the medical history, let victims explain what happened at their own pace, and carry out the examination in stages to keep discomfort to a minimum. Dr Martín said the aim is to protect people at a very vulnerable moment and avoid duplicating stories and examinations.
After the examination, doctors return to the City of Justice complex to prepare reports and process samples. The laboratory can analyse biochemical, biological and toxicological evidence, and it can detect and quantify drugs in blood and urine at very low concentrations. In 2023, the lab processed 6,733 cases, including sexual assaults, violent deaths and other incidents.
The unit attended 573 female victims and 88 men in 2023. It handled 611 of the 1,819 forensic examinations for sexual assault victims in Catalonia that year, about one in three. Eneko Barbería, director of the IMLCFC, said the numbers remain stable, with Barcelona and L'Hospitalet’s population density driving much of the activity. For readers following local health and public service coverage, see our Community and Sport pages for more Barcelona reporting.
