The victims of sexual violence are encouraged to seek medical assistance in the health system during the first 72 hours. The national hospitals and health centers for young people have medicines for preventing sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies. These medicines and consumables are available to the native population and also to Ukrainian refugees, Victoria Ciubotaru, obstetrician-gynecologist of the Mother and Child Institute, stated in a ceremony held to launch the mobilization campaign against sexual violence “Take wing. Set Free”, IPN reports.
The doctor noted that in her professional experience, she witnessed many cases of sexual violence, which is a phenomenon that affects both women and men, regardless of the age group. Official statistics show that the young women of reproductive age most often become victims of sexual violence. Currently, the health system can offer high-quality services to victims of sexual violence as the district and municipal hospitals and some of the national hospitals were provided with the medicines and consumable needed for such situations. The population should know about this.
Data of the General Police Inspectorate show that the number of reported sexual offenses grew from 1.67% to 2.36% in 2016-2022. Daniel Mazepa, division head in the Prevention Division of the National Public Security Inspectorate, said that the community members often know the victims of violence, but do not become involved out of fear or because they are not sufficiently informed. The police, psychologists, social assistants, doctors, school principals, teachers have the duty to distribute this important information and to raise awareness of this phenomenon. “We join in this camion launched by UNFPA. We are on the front line and offer all the support to the victims and potential victims of sexual violence and all forms of violence,” stated the division head.
Nigina Abaszada, UNFPA Moldova Resident Representative, said that this campaign represents a social mobilization possibility for a movement that would bring sexual violence to an end. “We speak about women and girls whose stories are untold, whose wings are not spread. They are somehow reduced to silence in this life of theirs. Sexual violence can take different forms; can appear in the form of sexual assault, harassment, rape, exploitation, all kinds of offenses committed online. All these, regardless of their form, have an absolutely devastating effect on the survivors of these offenses and also on their families, the communities and the entire society. The victims of sexual violence often face stigmatizations, shame and this makes the accessing of support and the services they need difficult,” stated Nigina Abaszada.
Prime Minister Dorin Recean noted that any kind of violence, including the sexual one, cannot be justified. “We must realize that this is a common problem. It is the problem of the whole society. A thriving society that looks to the future with optimism cannot be built when violence is among us,” said the official.
In October 2021, Moldova ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which is officially known as the Istanbul Convention. Over the past few years, UNFPA Moldova, in cooperation with national institutions, has managed to strengthen and develop support services for survivors of sexual assault. Among these are assistance and rehabilitation centers, emergency hotlines and post-rape kits for the prophylactic treatment of rape survivors, which is administered during the first 72 hours.
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