How to deal with being raped?

Questions to ask the woman

• What happened? Get a detailed account of what happened. Did the rapist manage to have sexual intercourse? Did he hurt her physically? When did it happen?

• How are you feeling right now? If the woman says she is feeling in control, it does not mean that the rape was not a serious event.

• When was your last menstrual period? If the woman is in the risk period for pregnancy, and she is not using contraception, you may recommend emergency family planning methods.

• Have you told anyone about the rape? Who? What was their reaction? This will help you identify support the woman might need during this difficult period.

• If you suspect rape within marriage, the question could be worded like this: “Do you generally feel you have control over when and whether you have sex? Are there times when your partner

has sex with you when you do not want to?”

Special interview suggestions

• A gynaecological examination is recommended if the rape occurred less than 24 hours earlier.

The woman may be resistant to having such an examination. Reassure her that this is the main

way in which a rape can be proved for legal purposes. The examination will include looking for

injuries to the sexual organs or other body parts, and taking a smear of vaginal fluid to test for sperm.

• Rape is a very sensitive issue. Take time to discuss it. Discuss it in private. Reassure the woman

about the confidentiality of her story. Do not ask for unnecessary details about the act. Do not

challenge her story.

What to do immediately

• Reassure the woman that it is not her fault.

• Document her story in detail. Record who raped her, the circumstances and any injuries she

reports. Findings of the physical and gynaecological examinations must also be recorded in

detail.

• Encourage the woman to share her experience with a friend or relative. However, respect her wishes if she prefers to keep the experience a secret.

• Help her in making a decision about whether to report the rape to the police. Ideally, the event should be reported because the rapist is a threat to the entire community. The sense that justice may be done may help the woman regain confidence. It may also help reduce the risk of the rapist repeating this behaviour. However, factors such as the rapist being a close relative may make a woman hesitant to report the rape.

• Offer her treatment for emergency family planning, especially if the woman was raped during the fertile period of her menstrual cycle.

• Offer her treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. A simple regime is procaine penicillin (4.8 million units by intramuscular injection) and probenecid (1 g orally). This will treat gonorrhoea as well as syphilis. Test for penicillin sensitivity before using this medicine. If the woman is allergic, use another antibiotic such as erythromycin or tetracycline.

• Encourage the woman to spend a few days with someone she trusts. It is better if she is not alone for a while.

• Explain the psychological reactions to the rape so that the woman knows that the fearfulness,

nightmares and sadness are typical reactions and not a sign that she is going crazy.

• If the woman has severe sleep problems or is very agitated, use a sleeping medicine such as lorazepam or diazepam for up to four weeks.

• Refer the woman to a support group that can advise her on her legal rights and share her concerns and worries.

• If the woman agrees, talk with the family. Some men reject their wife if she has been raped. Talk to the man and try to change this reaction by pointing out that rape is a crime and that it could have happened to any woman.

• If the woman has been raped by a relative or close friend, encourage her to share this with her family. If she is to grow out of her fear and prevent the rape from recurring, the rapist must be identified to others who know him.