Let's Talk About It Podcast: Life Saving Health Care for Survivors of Rape
Let's Talk About It Podcast: Life Saving Health Care for Survivors of Rape
In this podcast series, we are talking about essential steps you should know if you or someone you know was raped. Please remember NO ONE deserves to experience violence and every individual experience is serious. You deserve to be believed and supported.
Click on the play button below to listen to the podcast.
Kind: captions Language: en-GB
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Welcome to “Let's talk about it” podcast — brought to you by Laaha
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Laaha is an open, online platform where women and girls
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can get information about their health, wellbeing, and safety.
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Please remember: All content provided on the platform
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is based on scientific knowledge for educational purposes only.
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It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
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My name is Lydia and today we are going to talk about essential steps
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you should know if you or someone you know was raped.
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First, let’s talk about what you might expect from health services.
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You may have to speak with a reception desk to be directed to the appropriate area of the health clinic.
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These may be at the entrance to the health facility or the emergency room,
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but some facilities may have social workers or more discrete places
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where you can get information on where to go.
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Unfortunately, not all health staff may be supportive or empathetic.
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Remember, no matter what anyone says, this is not your fault and you have the right to access services.
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You should be seen in a private, confidential area. If this is not the case or you do not feel comfortable,
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it may be possible to ask for a more private examination room.
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Some health facilities will automatically have a female doctor or nurse
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available to provide treatment and care to women and girls.
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But this is not always the case. You can ask to have a female health staff present,
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though this may not be possible in all health facilities based on the staffing in a particular location.
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If you are under 18, you may need an adult with you in order to access health care services.
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If you do not have a trusted parent or family member, a social worker may be able to accompany you,
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but this will vary by different locations.
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There is a globally recognised set of treatments for survivors of rape
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to prevent and manage possible health consequences.
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It is recommended that survivors access clinical care as soon as possible after the incident.
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You have the right to have complete information
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on the treatment options and to decide for yourself what is done.
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You might need to pay for this type of medical care,
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but also it could be free in some health care facilities.
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For more information, you can speak with a social worker in your area.
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And remember, you have the right to ask for a copy of your medical results and files.
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If you wish to collect evidence on what happened to you
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to go to court or report your abuser to the police, you can ask for a forensic exam.
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In this case, it is advisable to avoid taking a bath or going to the toilet after the incident.
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Such exams can be performed at any time but there will be more forensic evidence available
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within the first 48 hours after the rape.
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It is your decision whether you want to perform such an exam or not.
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You don’t have to go alone – ask a trusted friend or family member,
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or a social worker, to accompany you.
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If you do go alone, you can ask at the health facility if there is a counselor advocate,
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or social worker available who may be able to accompany you through the process.
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If you have more questions or would like to talk to someone about the specific services
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and processes in your location, reach out to a service provider near you by clicking on 'get help'.
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There is also more information on how women and girls
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can access different types of services on Laaha, a Virtual Safe Space.
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Please remember NO ONE deserves to experience violence and every individual experience is serious.
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You deserve to be believed and supported.
