n South African Medical Journal - Rape in South Africa - call to action : correspondence

Abstract

After reading the above-titled editorial, I came to the conclusion that it gave a historical perspective, by and large, to the care of rape victims in South Africa. It contains many criticisms of practitioners who care for such victims:

1. 'secondary trauma sometimes suffered at the hands of the SAPS and health services
2. many rape survivors feel alone and let down by ... the institutions that ostensibly exist to protect them
3. four rape crisis centres ... there has been no significant change to the quality of services offered to rape survivors
4. misapprehension ... medical staff ... victims must first lay a charge
5. lack of clinical competence in clinical forensic medicine, all compounded by staff apathy, resistance and non-adherence to protocols.'