Table 4 a: Overview of Theme 3, Subtheme A, with representative quotes

Subtheme A

Cultural beliefs and language barriers

Cultural beliefs, language barriers, and shame pose challenges during forensic examinations. SARC staff navigate the delicate task of supporting survivors, respecting diverse cultural beliefs, and addressing language difficulties for effective communication.

‘If they’re religious and they’ve been touched by someone other than their partner. Feelings of being degraded. Cultural views if they’ve, different cultures have different views on sexual assault or rape, that they’ve been spoiled, they’ll never marry a man or women.’ (Forensic Nurse Examiner)

‘I think like basic things like language and culture differences can make examinations really complicated also like one of the really difficult things is being able to get the information you need to provide the examination service that is required without retraumatising them and getting them to go into all this details about what’s happened to them which has probably already been asked by officers multiple times by the time they come and I think one of the hardest things is knowing, being able to get the information you need to support them without making them feel worse, I think that’s really hard. Sometimes you get it wrong, and you notice you’ve got it wrong, and it feels terrible and other times they seem okay and its fine’ (Forensic Medical Examiner)

‘Language barriers are difficult, especially with one case that springs to mind, there was a male interpreter for a religion that doesn’t talk about intimate topics with men unless the man is their husband and even still, I imagine that probably doesn’t happen very often’ (Forensic Nurse Examiner)