WITH THE INCREASE IN THE INCIDENCE OF RAPE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT PHYSICIANS ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH THE CARE AND TREATMENT OF RAPE VICTIMS. PHYSICIANS MUST OFFER COMPREHENSIVE CARE, INCLUDING PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS, COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF LABORATORY SPECIMENS, TREATMENT OF INJURIES, TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA, PREVENTION OF DISEASE, AND PREVENTION OF PREGNANCY. THERE ARE GENERAL AND SPECIFIC PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS. GENERAL EXAMINATIONS INVOLVE THE BODY AS A WHOLE, EXCLUSIVE OF GENITAL OR ANAL AREAS. EXAMINERS SEARCH FOR OBVIOUS SIGNS OF TRAUMA OR VIOLENCE, SUCH AS ABRASIONS, BRUISES, CONTUSIONS, LACERATIONS, SCRATCHES, BITES, ROPE IMPRINTS, STAINS OR ANY OTHER MARKS WHICH COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE RAPE INCIDENT. SPECIFIC EXAMINATIONS CONCENTRATE ON THE PARTICULAR ORGAN INVOLVED AND THE EXTENT OF INJURY IS DETERMINED AND DESCRIBED. IN CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS, IT IS IMPORTENT TO DETERMINE IF THE HYMEN IS PRESENT, INTACT, AND UNINJURED; RECENTLY RUPTURED OR INJURED; OR ABSENT. A SEARCH MUST BE MADE FOR ANY FOREIGN MATERIAL. THE FINAL REPORT OF SPECIFIC EXAMINATIONS IS PREDICATED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ASSAILANT WAS NOT IMPOTENT, DID NOT WITHDRAW BEFORE ORGASM, HAD NOT HAVE A VASECTOMY, AND DID NOT WEAR A CONDOM. THE TREATMENT OF RAPE VICTIMS PROCEEDS ACCORDING TO FOUR MAJOR GOALS: (1) REPAIR OF INJURIES, (2) TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA, (3) PREVENTION OF DISEASE, AND (4) PREVENTION OF PREGNANCY. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)