What If I Am Sexually Assaulted

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Exposed to HIV?

Assault

Accident

In Port Moresby…

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CALL the BAHA office if you need help to modify this following information for your town or business

· Get someone to help you go through all of these steps AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after possible HIV exposure due to assault or accident (workplace or sexual accident).

EVERY HOUR COUNTS. HIV Infection can only be prevented if you seek treatment within 72 hours and preferably within the first 12 hours after exposure.

· If there has been a crime committed keep all evidence - keep anything related to the crime. Prepare yourself to talk about everything that happened to you.

1. Go immediately to Heduru Clinic at Port Moresby General Hospital

· WORK HOURS see Sister in Charge at Hederu 7237 2030

Other contact numbers: POM General Hospital 324 8200 or Hederu 324 8253

· OUTSIDE working hours go immediately to Accident & Emergency at Port Moresby General Hospital and ask to see the emergency coordinator as soon as you arrive. Do not wait. Ask for Post Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV this is known as PEP. You may need an “initial dose” of HIV drugs.

Once you have accessed PEP the gynaecological services will help you complete and prepare the police report forms and deal with other health issues related to your assault or accident. A medical examination will help in any action you decide to take. The doctor must complete the sexual assault medical examination record or help you complete a report for police or workplace accident report forms. You will have to return to hospital to pick your forms up in a few days.

2. Police and assault report forms for the hospital are at the Sexual Offences Squad (behind the main station). Phone: 324 4224. Ask for the Sexual Offences Squad police officers. There are also female police officers there to help. Get a friend to help you do this.

The referral forms and can help you access medical and police services. Tell the police you want PEP immediately if you think you have been exposed to HIV and have not yet been to the hospital.

HIV infection can only be prevented if you seek post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) immediately.

PEP is not the same as gynaecology treatment. It is important to seek PEP within 72 hours of possible exposure. Seek both gynaecology services and PEP for HIV prevention from a doctor trained in PEP.

3. Get to a safe environment. Get away from any attacker or potentially dangerous situation as quickly as possible. Do not blame yourself

Ask for help when you are unsure about what to do next

Get Support. Tell someone you can trust – parent, friend, minister, or counsellor. This person will provide support and help you to make plans. Recovering from sexual assault is less difficult if you seek support. Try to write down any details you can recall, as soon as possible. Your supporter can also help you preserve evidence of the situation.

Seek medical attention as soon as possible. You may have hidden injuries and may need to explore options for preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs and HIV). Drugs used for emergency contraception and to prevent HIV & STIs need to be accessed quickly. You have a limited time window within which to work – so it is important to ask to see someone who can provide PEP or post exposure prophylactic medication, in cases where you may have been exposed to HIV.

Preserve any evidence. Do not change your clothing, wash, shower, or brush your teeth. Seeking medical attention will also allow you to have evidence collected. You do not have to decide whether to prosecute now. Having evidence collected within 72 hours (3 days) gives you the option to decide whether to prosecute later.

Making a Decision about Prosecution...

Even if you decide not to press charges, consider seeking support to talk about the situation. Keep the written record or notes you have made of the attack, or incidents that you think are unfair. You may choose to press charges later.

Call Meri Seif Ples 7222 1234

To get to a safe place quickly

In Port Moresby you can call LifeLine

Telephone counselling line: Phone 326 0011

This is an anonymous way to talk about a sexual assault that will not result in charges being laid, but allows your story to be heard

Ask a female police officer to help you if you prefer.

If you decide to press charges

In Port Moresby

The sexual offences squad will refer you to medical service if you have not already been. Please call: Sexual Offences Squad Phone 324 4224

or go straight to Boroko Police Offices (not the station) but the superintendent’s offices at the back of the car park. It is very important to get the sexual assault referral forms as quickly as possible and preferably before you go to the hospital. Ask a friend to help you do this

The Table above shows Medical Care timelines for treatments you might require.

If you are given PEP it is usually a 28 day course of antiretroviral treatment. This requires supervision and follow-up. You need help to do this.

Take care of yourself, even long after the event. Even after an event, the emotional trauma maybe far worse than the medical trauma. Seek support of trusted family and friends. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Talk to a counsellor again about the healing process. Realise that healing takes time and cannot be done by yourself. You have been hurt and your behaviour will change because of this. This is normal. Some people may not want to be alone. Others may want to be alone. Small things may upset or frighten you. This is normal and healing will take time. Even relationships may change. Partners or family may also need to seek support or counselling.

BAHA staff may be able to help you seek service or answer questions you may have.

BAHA HIV infoline Digicel Toll FREE 7200 2242 8am – 8pm Monday – Friday

BAHA office 325 9228

Check out www.baha.com.pg

Things you may feel if you are
Sexually Assaulted

Common Reactions to Sexual Assault

STAGE I: The Initial Shock or Acute Stage

You may feel a sense of crisis, loss of control, and a sense of unreality. As a survivor of assault may feel a great deal of confusion and have a hard time making decisions.
Everybody responds differently. Some people may be very expressive (crying, easily startled, “hyper alert”, and “hysterical”) or withdrawn (numb, disconnected, quiet, no obvious emotion) or some combination. There is no right way to respond.

STAGE II: The Denial of Shock or Acute Stage

Many people attempt to go on with life “as usual” and want to forget the assault – or deny it ever happened?
Sexual assault survivors do not usually seek help during this stage.
You cannot be forced out of the denial stage, nor should anyone try to force you. Denial is an effective way of dealing with trauma temporarily. As a supporter or friend, you might let the survivor know that eventually things will surface and the event will “hit them.” Communicate that this is a normal reaction and that there are resources ready to help when he/she wants/needs them.

STAGE III: Reactivation or Decompensation Stage (“Life falls apart”)

This phase is usually triggered by some event that stirs up memories associated with the assault.
In this stage, the real problems start to surface, and you are likely to seek help from friends, family and advocates who were under the impression that he/she was “over” the sexual assault.
You may experience depression, suicidal thoughts, feelings of guilt, shame, helplessness, confusion. These feelings may lead to academic and relationship difficulties, physical symptoms (headaches, gastric problems), nightmares, flashbacks, and changes in eating and sleeping patterns.

STAGE IV: The Anger Stage

When you begin to acknowledge the fact that you had no control over what happened you can let go of some of the self-blame, you may begin to experience intense feelings of fear, anger and rage. You may be angry at everyone except the perpetrator because he or she seems the “least safe target” for your anger. Your friends will understand this.
This stage also usually involves a grieving process: you may begin to identify personal losses and start to face the pain around those issues.

STAGE V: The Integration Stage

You will start to see the assault and the events surrounding it as a significant life experience integrated among many other experiences. The event becomes part of the past and is gradually acknowledged as an event that continues to affect you, but not one that controls your emotions and behaviour.

STAGE VI. What do I Say to Someone Who has been sexually assault?

Listen to their story when they are ready to talk. Avoid “why” questions as the person may experience it as condemning, intrusive, or insensitive.
Believe their story. They will really need your support not your doubt. People rarely lie about sexual assault.
Emphasise that this is not their fault! No one deserves to be sexually assaulted, no matter what they did, were wearing or said.
Encourage them to get medical treatment. Remind them not to change their clothing, wash, shower, or brush their teeth.
Let them decide who to tell; this is not your story to share.
Encourage them to talk to a counsellor. Let them decide when to seek help.
Let them decide whether to report it to authorities. Their deciding helps them to take control. Infoline, crisis centres or Hotlines can be very helpful in dealing with the crime.
Let them express their feelings. They are not aimed at you even if they sound angry.
Remember that everyone responds differently. Some people experience the effects of sexual assault immediately afterwards while others experience effects over time.
Take care of yourself while helping. It can be very difficult to support someone through such a traumatic event and you may need to seek help for yourself. It may take a long time for them to heal emotionally.
Offer to stay with them or help them find someone they would like to stay with.

BAHA HIV infoline Digicel Toll FREE 7200 2242

8am – 8pm Monday – Friday

BAHA staff may help you access the services you may need

Check out www.baha.com.pg

Call BAHA Port Moresby 325 9228, BAHA Lae 472 4182

BAHA workplace toolbox HIV session: PEP and What to do if you are sexually assaulted