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Access to victims of sexual assault is a priority for Médecins Sans Frontières, and the organisation is aware that problems of sexual violence exist during times of peace as well as war. Many victims are unaware that there are treatments to minimise the medical consequences of rape. The sooner they attend medical services the more options can be made available to them.
For Médecins Sans Frontières, the case management of victims of rape and other sexual violence includes the treatment of lesions and pain and the administration of a prophylactic treatment against HIV/AIDS, which is only effective if the person receives it in the 72 hours following the assault.
Médecins Sans Frontières also administers prophylactics for tetanus and other sexually transmitted diseases including hepatitis B. In addition, patients can receive emergency contraception if they reach treatment within the 120 hours following the rape. Médecins Sans Frontières also offers parallel psychological and social support.
Even in emergencies Médecins Sans Frontières strives to make sure comprehensive care is available for victims of sexual violence even though it may be a challenge for women to seek treatment soon after a rape. "During conflict, rape victims have additional problems linked to the chaos around them which is characterised by violence and impunity. In such contexts, sexual violence constitutes one of many types of violence and the only priority is survival," explains Katherine Derderian, Humanitarian Affairs Officer for Médecins Sans Frontières.
In such conflict contexts, victims cannot always use services, even when they are available. "This can be due to a lack of knowledge about the services, or a lack of confidentiality and privacy within certain medical facilities," explains Christine Lebrun, Head of Reproductive and Sexual Programmes at Médecins Sans Frontières.
Médecins Sans Frontières focuses on providing information and raising awareness within communities in order to encourage women to seek treatment as soon as possible after an assault. Médecins Sans Frontières also tries to reach women seeking treatment outside conventional health facilities through collaboration with traditional leaders and women's groups.
In 2006, Médecins Sans Frontières sections together provided care to more than 11,000 victims of sexual violence seen in 97 projects, mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Liberia.