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 counseled 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.