Gokwe rape victims fail to get treatment

News
SCORES of young rape victims in Gokwe North are reportedly missing out on the life-saving post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) as their parents and guardians take long to take them to local health institutions.

SCORES of young rape victims in Gokwe North are reportedly missing out on the life-saving post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) as their parents and guardians take long to take them to local health institutions.

By PHYLLIS Mbanje

Sister-in-charge at Gokwe South hospital Emily Hove said while there was a marked increase in cases of rape of minors, only a few were seeking PEP services on time.

“We are challenged because parents delay in bringing in rape victims,” she said.

Hove said although reasons being given were varied, the major one was that the perpetrators were relatives or neighbours and the parents were not eager to report.

“In some cases they try to negotiate with the abuser and ask for payment,” she explained.

The hospital handled between 40 to 50 cases of abuse, but out of all these, an average of only five accessed PEP.

Distance and limited transport were also some of the challenges that caused most young victims to come late for treatment.

“Cases of child marriage have spiked as a result and parents are to blame,” Hove said.

PEP is a treatment plan initially put in place to safeguard health workers and rape victims to lower chances of them being infected by HIV.

A village health worker from Msala clinic, Paulina Mugowa, said cases of abuse involving minors were rife and were worsened by a culture of silence.

“There are lots of such cases and parents are marrying off children as young as 13,” Mugoriwa said.

She said she had witnessed a neighbour marrying off a 15-year-old.

“The case was reported to Childline, but the parents sent her to South Africa, that’s where the husband is,” she said.