South Africa should launch an urgent education campaign on post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) services for rape survivors and also make clear statements supporting anti-retroviral drugs, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.
In a 73-page report released on Thursday on South Africa’s efforts to prevent HIV in survivors of sexual violence, HRW said the government had undermined its promising initiative to provide anti-Aids drugs to prevent HIV among rape survivors, putting lives at risk amid a dual epidemic of sexual violence and HIV/Aids.
PEP are anti-retroviral drugs that can reduce the risk of contracting HIV from an HIV-positive attacker.
The report called on government to issue a clear policy directive that reporting a rape to police was not a prerequisite to obtaining PEP or other medical services following rape or other forms of sexual violence.
HRW researcher in New York Rebecca Schleifer said in the face of South Africa’s explosive Aids epidemic, rape and other rampant forms of sexual violence could be a death sentence for women and girls.
”South Africa’s broader plan to provide anti-retroviral treatment will encounter many of the same challenges as providing anti-HIV drugs to rape survivors, effective public education, clear political support and guaranteed access for children,” Schleifer said.
She said government’s inability to implement a small-scale programme like PEP raised concerns about its plan to provide anti-retroviral treatment on a grand scale.
Few African countries provide PEP for rape survivors, although this was a standard service in many other countries.
South Africa’s PEP programme could become a model as other states in the region begin to develop PEP services and broader anti-retroviral treatment programmes, the report said. – Sapa