Sexual assaults and abuse are not accidental in nature. A sexual assault occurs when one individual intentionally or knowingly engages in sexual acts with another individual who is fifteen years old or older, without his or her consent. In the state of Arizona, sexual abuse is filed as a felony offense. While sexual abuse involves a physical act, injuries from sexual abuse are both physical and emotional.

Besides the obvious physical trauma sustained from the sexual act itself, it is not uncommon for sex abusers to use physical force to elicit compliance from their victims. Signs of such force can be seen in head injuries, broken bones, cuts and bruises and even in internal organ trauma. Either the force itself, or an attempt on the part of the victim to escape, is capable of causing these types of injuries. A sex abuser who physically restrains his or her victims could leave cuts or bruises on their arms and legs.

He or she could also cause broken bones and/or head injuries in an attempt to silence an intended victim or demonstrate a certain level of dominance. Not all physical injuries will be easily seen. Internal organ trauma can occur after a fall, when a large amount force is applied to a person's body, in cases where an individual is thrown against a heavy object and more. This type of physical injury is not necessarily simple to detect, as there may be no signs of bruising or external wounds.