3.3.2 Collecting Forensic Information of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence With the person’s informed consent and in accordance with the do no harm principle (see Sections 2.1.1 and 2.1.2), the first duty of those who enter in first contact with a victim of a sexual crime or forms of genderbased violence is to provide appropriate care. Given the physically and psychologically vulnerable state of victims of gender-based violence and the high risk of trauma from the violence and of re-traumatization, unofficial investigators should immediately refer victims to medical and psychosocial professionals. With the victim’s informed consent, unofficial documenters may take note of the physical or psychosocial examinations that are conducted by a professional and other relevant information. Collection of physical or forensic information on sexual and genderbased violence should be left to professional medics, if in any way possible. There is a high sensitivity to most victims of sexual and gender-based violence and under-skilled documenters are under a high risk to contaminate the information and thus diminish or even destroy its evidentiary value. With the victim’s informed consent, unofficial investigators may consider taking photographs of the scene or any objects that might have been used to inflict the violence, upon consideration of the good practices discussed in this Handbook’s section on Documentary Information (Section 3.1).113 Photographs of a crime scene or of an artifact may be powerful pieces of information to corroborate victim or witness accounts. However, consent from the victim is required for each picture that is taken. Pictures should moreover only be taken with the best interest of the victim in mind. 3.3.3 Human Bodies Conducting physical examinations or autopsies on human bodies requires technical knowledge and experience and is therefore best left to professionals. Moreover, if reports are to be of use in court, it must be 113 Foreign and Commonwealth Office, International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Basic Standards of Best Practice on The Documentation of Sexual Violence as a Crime under International Law, 65 (2014), available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319054/PSVI_protocol_web .pdf. 86