Getting Medical Aid after Sexual Assault:What you Need to Know

A Prajnya 16 Days Campaign against Gender Violence Resource

If someone you know is sexually assaulted, you may feel helpless, overwhelmed and unsure of how you can help. Here’s what you need to know in order to help them deal with the immediate aftermath.

1. They should first go to a safe place and confide in someone they trust such as a family member or a friend.
2. They should go to a hospital immediately to seek medical care. It is important to note that under Section 357-C of the Code of Criminal Procedure, all private and public hospitals are required by law to to provide immediate and free medical care to anyone who has been raped.
3. They need to seek medical care without changing clothes, bathing, urinating, brushing teeth, eating or changing sanitary pads so as to preserve the physical evidence. It is important to note that most physical evidence starts disappearing after the first hour and no traces will be found after 3 days.
4. Under the law, rape and assault victims are entitled to confidential treatment and are required to provide informed consent for all medical procedures including the collection of forensic evidence. They should make sure the attending physician explains every procedure in detail and only allow them to proceed if they consent.
5. They should make sure that their outer and underclothes are bagged for evidence and that all physical injuries are recorded.
6. They should be tested for any possible internal injuries or concussions.
7. They should ensure that forensic evidence including saliva, blood, urine and swabs from the mouth,rectum and genitals are taken.
8. They should be advised about Emergency Contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies as well as tested for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV. Ideally, the Morning-After pill should be taken within 72 hours of the assault.
9. They should also be provided with psychological care and they are entitled to private, non-judgemental, supportive and validating care.
10. It is essential that they seek further psychological help and trauma counselling from a qualified counselor or mental health professional.
11. They should be referred to appropriate support services including psycho-social and legal support.They can also approach local service providers.
12. They should say NO to the Two-Finger Rape Test. The Government of India has issued standardised medico-legal guidelines and protocols to govern the medical response to rape and sexual assault.These guidelines explicitly ban the 2-finger rape test.
13. They should decide if they want to report the assault to the police.  
14. It is important to note that the sooner the assault is reported, the greater the chance police will have to collect and document physical evidence before it gets destroyed or lost.
15. If they wish to report the assault, they need to go to the nearest police station and file a First Information Report (FIR). To know more about how to file an FIR: http://www.prajnya.in/16d13firfaq.htm

SOURCES:

• Nisha Susan: What do you do if you have been raped? https://in.news.yahoo.com/what-do-you-do-if-you-have-been-raped--050017083.html
• CEHAT Manual: http://www.cehat.org/go/uploads/Publications/R83Manual.pdf
• Government of India Guidelines: http://uphealth.up.nic.in/med-order-14-15/med2/sexual-vil.pdf

Fire and Acid Burns: First Aid Facts

A Prajnya 16 Days Campaign against Gender Violence Resource

General Guidelines:

1. In case of an acid or fire attack, follow the S.A.F.E Approach for all pre-hospital emergencies:

• Shout/Call for Help
• Assess the Scene for dangers to everyone involved
• Free from Danger
• Evaluate the casualty

2. Stop the burning by removing the source and take off all clothing that is not stuck to the person as well as any jewellery they may be wearing. Put the burnt clothes in a bag so it can be taken to the hospital for examination.
3. Cool the burn wound with clean room-temperature water if the wound area is large and a wet towel if it is a small wound. Do not use ice-cold water. Do not use ice directly.
4. After cleaning and washing the area well, dress the wound with  sterilized gauze or clingfilm but make sure not to wrap too tightly. Continue to provide cold compresses over the clingfilm for small wounds but avoid for larger ones.
5. It is important to prevent hypothermia, so wrap the person in a blanket so they are warm.
6. Seek emergency help at the nearest hospital with a burns ward immediately.

For Fire Burns:

1. Advise the affected person to ‘stop, cover, drop and roll’ and smother the flames with a blanket.
2. Move away from the heat source and remove all non-adherent clothing and jewellery.
3. Apply clean room-temperature water to the burn for 10-20 minutes to cool the wound.
4. Make sure to keep the person warm by wrapping them in a blanket.
5. Apply a sterile gauze bandage loosely to the burn area to keep it cool and clean. Do NOT apply any creams, gels, butter, turmeric paste etc.
6. Seek emergency help at the nearest hospital with a burns ward immediately.

For Acid Burns:

1. Make sure to wear protective gear to prevent injuries to self while administering first aid.
2. Wash the burn immediately with a large amount of fresh water. Constant washing of the area with clean, running water at room-temperature for at least 45 minutes is critical to wash away the acid.
3. Remove all contaminated clothing immediately and carefully brush all powdered agents from the skin. Make sure the chemical does not come into contact with unaffected areas.
4. Use sterilized gauze or clingfilm to make a loose dressing. Do NOT apply any creams, gels, butter, turmeric paste etc.
5. Take bagged clothing to the hospital for examination.
6. Seek emergency help at the nearest hospital with a  burns ward immediately.

SOURCES: British Burn Association; Acid Survivors Trust International; Stop Acid Attacks