No medical exam for rape victim (12), two months on

her private parts and her parents say she could hardly walk as she was experiencing excruciating pain.

A medical examination was not done as Msume Mission Hospital had run out of latex gloves, so could not assess the victim.
“The relatives request the client to be seen by the doctor. No gloves for examination (out of stock).

“Patient to be assessed by victim-friendly nurse,” read part of the girl’s hospital card. The teenager’s relatives recently told The Herald that they were unhappy with the treatment she was receiving from the hospital.

“Since she was raped sometime in April, she has not yet been examined by doctors despite the fact that they can see that she was in tremendous pain,” said the victim’s uncle.
“She is scared and not fully conscious. She can’t walk and she soils herself because of the severe injuries she sustained from the sexual assault.”

Police confirmed the case, adding that investigations were still under way.
“We are investigating a case of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by two boys aged 15 and 10,” said national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi.

“So far our investigations are progressing well. We have done all the necessary inquiries. What is left is for the probation officer to issue us with a report so that we can take the docket to the Attorney-General’s Office.”

Hospital records show that the victim was raped in April this year and was yet to be assessed by a victim-friendly health practitioner.
“She is having difficulties sitting because she has back pains. The hospital only gave her some pain relief tablets and some anti-biotics,” the victim’s relative said.

“Her condition has forced her to drop out from school because she cannot walk on her own and the fact that she often soils herself.”
A village head in the area also confirmed the case and accused medical staff at the referral hospital of being insensitive.

“The girl was taken to the hospital but the way the medical staff behaved is unheard of. How can they not examine the girl when they can see that she is in pain?

“We understand that if someone is raped they have to be examined by a doctor within 24 hours but for this girl it is now almost two months without any examination,” said the village head.