Make PEP easily accessible for rape victims: Gender activists
GENDER activists have bemoaned the procedure where victims of sexual assault and rape have to make a police report first before accessing the PostExposure Prophylaxis that reduces the likelihood of HIV infection.
PEP does not work if taken 72 hours after the rape, and in some cases, rape victims will not have reported the case to the police.
The call comes as reports by ZimStat indicate that at least 22 women are raped daily in Zimbabwe, translating to almost one woman being sexually abused every hour.
Addressing journalists at a workshop conducted by the Zimbabwe Aids Network in Bulawayo last week, gender activist Mrs Patricia Moyo said the procedure to access PEP was unfriendly to rape victims.
“First you have to get a police report so that you can be given PEP. Just imagine if you are raped late on Friday night and you have to rush to a police station to make a report only to be delayed and manage to get the medication by Monday of which it will be already late,” she said.
Speaking at the same event, Zimbabwe Aids Network national co-ordinator Mr Taurai Nyandoro said PEP should urgently be accessible by rape victims as long as there is enough evidence pointing to rape.
“The police report is a barrier, if there is enough evidence, indicating that someone has been raped they should immediately be able to access PEP. Going to the police on its own is another issue, because in some cases rape even goes unreported,” said Mr Nyandoro.
It has also been noted that most sexual assault and rape victims get the courage to make a police report way after 72 hours, of which by that time, PEP will not be effective.
“We need to change that approach. Rape victims have to find an easy way of accessing PEP without necessarily having to make a police report. Of course there are fears that are bound and exist that people can simply walk into a clinic and claim PEP even though they are not raped which is why there are constraining measures on accessing PEP,” he said.