The Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (VSVRT), Lagos State, have inaugurated the Sexual Assault Standing Order and the Sexual Assault Evidence Examination Kit, commonly refered to as the rape kit.
DSVRT Coordinator, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the team partnered the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care board for the Friday inauguration, She said the inauguration was done at a training session for workers of Primary Health Care centres.
AAccording to Mrs. Vivour-Adeniyi, five pilot centres were picked for the SAEEK, comprising Ogudu, Ita-Elewa in Ikorodu, Ajilete in Ifako-Ijaiye, Palm Avenue in Mushin and Oshodi in Oshodi-Isolo.
She noted that the selection of the pilot PHC centres was methodically done as statistics revealed that sexual and gender-based assault and related crimes were prevalent in the areas, adding that the centres would render 24-hour service, laboratory, HIV counselling and testing, and maternal and child health services.
“The rape kit contain necessary instruments used for evidence gathering and examination, some of which include microscope slides, saline water, swabs for collecting fluids from delicate body parts like the lips, cheeks, thighs and private parts.” She added.
“The kit also includes materials for blood samples, comb, paper sheets for evidence collection such as clothing fibres and hairs, nail pick for scraping debris from beneath the nails and gloves. The documentation forms, which include the consent form and patient history or sexual assault history, are also in the rape kit.”
Vivour-Adeniyi said the Lagos State Sexual Assault Standing Order was produced to guide the provision of health care services as well as set the minimum acceptable standard for the provision of quality health care to the survivors of sexual assault.
She expressed optimism that the standing order would equip health care providers with tools to facilitate examination, treatment and management of sexual assault patients.
“The output of this training in terms of knowledge shared with the workers will ultimately facilitate examination and management of patients after sexual assault, and also improve the quality and documentation of evidence collection.
“The protocol response to be adopted is now clearly enumerated, some of which include taking the survivor or patient to a designated area, getting the informed consent of the survivor to have the examination, obtaining the medical history, and then proceeding to collect the different samples necessary for forensic examination and testing,” she added.
