Comprehensive Healthcare Response to Sexual Violence

Sexual violence has significant negative impact on physical and psychological health of survivors. Survivors often seek medical assistance at a health facility and comprehensive, gender-sensitive health care becomes essential to aid the survivor’s recovery. CEHAT conducts a one-day workshop for hospital-based healthcare providers on responding to cases of sexual violence. The healthcare professionals are informed about the prevalance and definition of sexual violence as per different national and international instruments (IPC, POCSO Act, WHO guidelines). More importantly, the medical examination process is discussed with the HCPs, where the common mistakes and rape myths/biases apparent in medical history taking, filling the proforma, medical opinion formulation, unnecessary comments on hymen are addressed.