HOW TO HELP A VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

It goes without saying that these are really difficult and disruptive times, with everything going on in the world right now and special emphasis on sexual assault and violence against women.

No one deserves to go through the pain of being raped for whatsoever reason but sadly the reality is that  it continues to happen in our midst almost everyday.

We must do all in our power to stand against this nefarious act, protect the victims and  ensure that offenders are brought to book.

In light of these I have taken time to highlight  how you can be of help to someone who has been assaulted sexually

1.Report to the appropriate authorities which could be  the police, or organisations that handle such cases. 

2. Report to the hospital as soon as possible. Often times the rapist is on the run or still being fished out by relevant authorities but in the mean time the victim should be conveyed to a hospital  There might be injuries that could range from minor bruises to lifethreatening conditions and would require urgent medical attention to save life.

2. Ensure administration of Prophylaxis against sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy.

 In most cases the offender does not use any protection leaving the victim at risk of infections like Hiv chlamydia,gonorrhoea, syphilis, hepatitis e.t.c as well as pregnancy.   Post exposure prohylaxis are to be administered  to avoid developing  some of these infections as well as emergency contraceptive to  prevent pregnancy.  

 this should be started within 72 hours of said incidence 

3. Adequate Counselling by a professional. The psychological effect is more traumatic than you can imagine and can cause post traumatic stress disorder in the victim especially for children and young adults.

4. Protect the privacy of the victim. This is not to say that you should hide or avoid addressing the issue or keep relevant information away from the authorities but as much as possible avoid over publicising the victim as this has a negative effect on them afterwards

5.Ensure that the victim is safe and surrounded with loved ones.  It is also crucial that they are not left on their own to avoid harming themselves.

Thanks for stopping by

Cynthia