2013 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR GBV SERVICES AT ONE STOP CENTRE
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR GBV SERVICES AT ONE STOP CENTRE Recognising the prevalence of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) and its devastating impact on women and children in particular, as well as families and communities this Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) has been agreed upon to facilitate joint action by the actors to respond to the needs of the survivors and provide the services at the ONE STOP CENTER. This SOP, developed by representatives of the organizations, establishes clear procedures, roles and responsibilities for each actor involved in the response to the SGBV survivor. Signatories Representative Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Representative SGBV Crimes Unit, Ministry of Justice Representative Women and Children Protection Unit Government UN GBV JP Liberia Page 2
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR GBV SERVICES AT ONE STOP CENTRE Survivors of sexual and gender based violence need services that that ease the pain of trauma they experience when they have been violated and helps them to cope and recover in the quickest possible time. These services include: Medical Examination and Treatment Upon referral to the one stop centre, the procedure of getting the story of what happened and doing a medical examination are explained to the survivor and relative who accompanies her/him to the facility by the nurse. After the explanation, the survivor signs the Informed Consent Form, if an adult. If the survivor is a child, the accompanying relative signs the Informed Consent on their behalf. The survivor gives an account of what occurred and the Nurse Examiner records the account in the survivor s own words on the Medical Report Form. The Nurse Examiner then performs the medical examination taking note of every detail and recording all findings accordingly. The Nurse has to observe keenly anything seen on the survivor; old scars, new cuts, abrasions, bruises, or anything that will prove there was trauma or a struggle. The pictogram is used to provide details of the physical trauma found during examination. The Nurse will collect, label and preserve any physical or other evidence found on the victim that could be analyze and used during prosecution. If the survivor reports to the one stop centre within 72 hours, and there was penetration with a penis or body fluids were exchanged, an HIV test is performed as well as a pregnancy test (for all females from the developmental stage of puberty and within child bearing age, usually from12 years onwards). HIV test for both male and female also under stage of puberty when body fluids were exchanged should be conducted. Government UN GBV JP Liberia Page 3
If the HIV and pregnancy tests are negative, the survivor is given Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). For children sent to safe homes the Nurse or Victim Advocate will ensure completion of the PEP, and receive proper nutrition during the time she/he is on medications. If the survivor comes after 72 hours of the incident and there was no penetration by a penis but an object and no body fluids were in contact or exchanged, STI prophylactic treatment is given if necessary. The Nurse Examiner prepares two copies of the Medical Report and gives one copy to the survivor in case she/he wants to seek legal redress. The Nurse then sends the survivor to the Psychosocial Counselor Psychosocial Counseling The survivor is introduced to the Psychosocial Counselor who welcomes the survivor and the accompanying relative into her/his office and talks to the survivor in confidence and gathers information on the emotional state of the survivor. After talking to the survivor alone, the Counselor then invites the parent/relative. If the survivor was accompanied by someone, and the counselor is reassured that the person (s) are known to the survivor then he/she is invited as well. The Counselor reassures the survivor and schedules a follow up session for 3 5 visits until the survivor shows signs of recovery. If the protection of the survivor is at stake or the parents are unable to provide adequate meals for the child to eat while taking PEP, the Counselor will recommend that the survivor be sent to the safe home. The survivor is not the only person that receives counseling. Her/his family members, the perpetrator s family that may accompany the survivor to the medical facility, and community members, all receive some sort of counseling and awareness with the goal of preventing the reoccurrence of violence on the survivor or someone else. Note: The perpetrator s family should not be encouraged to accompany the survivor to the hospital. Protection Government UN GBV JP Liberia Page 4
The survivor needs to be protected from the perpetrator and stigma from the family and/or community. This protection is provided at a safe home. Cases sent to the safe home are those that need protection, further counseling, follow up on completion of the prescribed medications, or survivors that come from far distances that need help in accessing follow up treatment or need to provide information to the police or psychosocial counselor or legal counselor (the victim advocate). CONFIDENTIALITY IS VERY IMPORTANT; all staff at the safe home and survivors that come there must be well informed about this. The break in confidentiality can cause the death of not only the survivor, but of staff and other residents at the home. That is why all movement in and out of the home is strictly guarded and controlled. The operators of the safe home do all transporting of the residents to and from the home, for visitation, medical, or follow up for court. Survivors are never sent out alone but are always accompanied by a Social Worker or Caregiver. Law Enforcement Legal The WACPS Police officer assigned to the one stop centre is called in to gather their statement from the Nurse Examiner first, the Psychosocial Counselor, and then the survivor. Preferably these statements should be taken immediately after the Nurse Examiner and the Psychosocial Counselor has completed their examination and interview with the survivor. This will put the police in better position to understand survivor problem and to conduct a better investigation of the case. The police register the case, investigate, gather evidence, charge the perpetrator, and send the case to court for prosecution. The police gather their own information from the crime scene and from witnesses. All other information from the other service providers are collected at the one stop centre at the Center to minimize trauma to the survivor. After the Police have completed their preliminary investigation, the Legal Investigator is called in. The prosecutor comes to gather information and works with all the service providers and helps to build a case file for prosecution of the case; inform the survivor, service providers and other witnesses about the court procedure and prepare them to appear in court to testify. Government UN GBV JP Liberia Page 5
The legal counselor provides all necessary information to the survivor on legal aspects of the case and counsels him/her to register the case in the court The Legal Counselor gathers information about the case and takes it back to the SGBV Crimes unit to help to build a case for the survivor to appear in court. The legal investigator should provide his/her assessment/action point within 48 hours after receipt of the case file from WACPS officer Short Stay accommodation for survivors that are brought at night or on holidays Arrangements are made with the Maternal and Child Health ward to accommodate the survivor overnight until the one stop centre staff report to duty the following day. Midwives on the ward are trained to administer the initial pills until the survivors can be properly handled by the trained staff of the one stop centre the next day. Coordination and collaboration between service providers is the key to the success of the One Stop Centre. We are a team of service providers working for survivors of gender-based violence with the goal of prevention as well as response in a wholesome way. The coordination between the service providers is facilitated by the Nurse at the One Stop Facility. Government UN GBV JP Liberia Page 6