Sexual abuse

Sexual Abuse cases should be reported within 72 hours for the following reasons:

      • To prevent pregnancies.
      • To prevent infection of HIV/AIDS or STD’s.
      • To avoid death of the victim.
      • To ensure that evidence (such as the victim’s clothing) is preserved correctly.
      • To avoid the crime scene being tampered with.
      • To ensure the victim gets psychosocial support.

WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY A SEXUAL ABUSE CASE IS REPORTED TO YOU

      • Rush the Survivor to hospital within 72 hours of the abuse.
      • Report the matter to the police as soon as possible.
      • DO NOT clean any part of the survivor’s body.
      • DO NOT wash or destroy the survivor’s clothes.
      • WRAP the clothes in a KHAKI envelope.
      • DO NOT put the clothes in a plastic or polythene paper bag. This will cause the clothes to swea.t
      • DO NOT wrap the clothes in a newspaper as newspapers have chemicals which interfere with the protozoa.
      • DO NOT tamper with anything at the crime scene.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE HOSPITAL

      • The survivor will be examined
      • Samples of the survivor’s blood, urine, vaginal or anal fluids will be taken for laboratory tests
      • The survivor will be given anti-retroviral drugs (PEP) to prevent HIV infection. This is a dosage of 28 days which is given in portions of four.
      • The survivor will be counselled by the health care providers at the hospital.
      • The survivor will also be given emergency contraceptive pills (P2) to prevent pregnancy.
      • The health care providers will fill three copies of the Post Rape Care form
      • White copy-given to Police
      • Green copy-Remains at the hospital
      • Yellow copy-Given to the survivor
      • Give the P3 form to the health care provider for filling and signing if you have been to the police.
      • If you don’t have a P3 form, visit the nearest police station as soon as possible to get one then take it to the hospital for filling and signing.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE POLICE STATION ; Facts

      • The crime will be recorded in the Occurrence Book (OB), by a police officer.
      • The survivor will be given an OB number.
      • The police will ask the survivor questions about the abuse.
      • The survivor should give the police sufficient information to enable the police carry out investigations and arrest the perpetrator.
      • The Survivor will then record a statement.
      • The police will give the survivor a P3 form to be filled by the health care provider at the hospital.
      • The P3 form is issued FREE of charge at the police station.