72 hours-Stop and Think!

Several woman are raped on a daily basis, some die while others get infected with the HIV virus, despite faciliteies being available in hospitals.

Dabbed '72 hour's, and commomly known as the Post Exposure Prophylaxis(PEP), it has been noted countrywide that most young women are not aware of these services.

'Had I known of the 72 hours, maybe I would be HIV negative today, says Lillian Atieno, a single mother of one,a survivor of rape and HIV positive.

'After the rape ordeal, I contracted a venereal disease, I was treated but nobody ever told me about the 72 hours, I have gone to school, but I still had no clue what it was,"she says.

"This just shows you how many women will continue to die, whether leanered or not,since women are still not aware of these noble services in our hospitals, she adds.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an emergency medical response that can be used to protect individuals exposed to HIV. PEP consists of medication, laboratory tests and counselling.

Ideally PEP should be initiated within 2-24 hours (and no later than 48-72 hours) of possible exposure to HIV, and must continue for approximately four weeks.

Young women face various obstacles in keeping themselves safe from violence as well as gaining access to treatment and support structures.

It is in this aspect that a group of young women have lodged a campaign dabbed ‘72 hours of Action: Stop and think’.

The young women, are now lobbying for their fellows to seek help within 72 hours of rape or violence, as it has been discovered that in spite of the available prophylactic measures, many cases of rape go unreported and many women succumb to their misery

Saida Ali, the Director of Young women Leadership Institute (YWLI), attributes this to the victims' ignorance of their rights and procedures available to assist them.

For Saida, the reasons are more complex. "Victims hide the crime in shame; they feel guilty and blame themselves because it has not only psychological implications for them but also social consequences.

“Society has such a bad conception of rape that it puts the blame on the victim and not the perpetrator,” adds Saida.

Instead of receiving the sympathy and help that their misfortune cries out for, victims are usually accused of having tempted the perpetrators, and therefore deserve their fate.

"For the fear of being termed as having loose morals, many prefer to hide away what they consider their shame," says Saida.

Regardless of the consequences of rape for the victim, most people generally tend to advise the victim to keep the matter to herself and, particularly in the event of her being young; they feared that if it become known, then they would not find someone to marry.

On the other hand, other young women have been married off after a rape ordeal, others have gotten pregnant and some have found that they are infected with various sexually transmitted diseases, and that’s why the 72 hours campaign has to beef up, to give women a chance, says Hadija Ali, a community leader in Korogocho slums.

“Every woman’s fear is to be raped, no one is prepared for it, but all we are saying is that if it ever happened to you, remember that’s it’s not your fault, and that you should seek responsibility for your life and look for help,” says Ali.

Misconceptions are damaging to the victim's fragile equilibrium, instilling in her a misplaced sense of guilt. Not only that, but, depending on her personality, a woman who had been raped might lose her self-esteem, appetite, or sexual drive, and even attempt suicide.

However, with psychological assistance, victims could be helped to regain their self-confidence and express their anger against the perpetrators instead of turning in on themselves, reiterated Saida.

She advises the women not to wash themselves for evidence purposes, and that within the 72 hours, the woman has a higher chance of not being infected with STD’s and also not getting pregnant.

Carry the materials for proof in a khaki paper bag, so that it does not erase any evidence, and after seeing the doctor, this should be carried to the police station.

It’s also of help to the victim that she does this within the 72 hours, while their minds are still fresh, not to leave out the details.

It’s only this way that we will be able to fight this scourge, and make the perpetrators accountable, adds Myra Karani, YWLI.

Kinoti Kathambi, a trustee of YWLI, also says that women should be interested in reporting rape because if they are ever raped or a friend of theirs is, they would know how to report it and what to do about it.

Rapists should be brought to justice, she says, so don't be afraid to report it. Bringing the rapists to justice can keep them off the streets and not be able rape again.

It has also been established that women still do not feel very good having to tell the police their experience word for word. That makes them not want to report it.
Another thing is when you report rape, the police have to take important procedures like finding out evidence, get a report from the doctor, go to the scene of crime, and find him and find out where he was.

If it were to happen, if you were raped then the message was, please run to the nearest hospital, then you could save something, you could prevent that unwanted pregnancy, the STD and be able to go through counseling.

Ends