Abstract:This article considers the medical examination of women who report rape to the police. Fourteen women who reported rape to the Sussex police between 1991 and 1993 were interviewed in depth about their experience of the medical examination. Eighty‐six per cent of them were wholly, mainly or partly negative about it whilst 36% were wholly or partly positive. The article considers those factors perceived as positive and those perceived as negative. It offers some suggestions as to how medical services for victims of rape might be improve