KEM to start one-stop centre for rape victims

Mumbai: The city’s KEM Hospital has become the first civic hospital to start a one-stop centre for victims of rape, child abuse and acid attacks. According to dean, Dr Avinash Supe, this centre will help reduce the time spent by traumatised victims for medical examinations, formalities at the hospital and there would be also counselling for them.

The centre will consists of gynaecologists, physiatrists and forensic experts under one roof. This will help to speed up the process of preparing the medical reports, which have to be handed over to the police and courts. This centre will be attached to the casualty department of KEM Hospital, so that a woman or child doesn’t have to wander from one department to the other.

Talking to The Asian Age Dr Supe said, “The sexually abused victims who are always under perilous situation and unable to lament their plea, to deal with the psyche of such patients you need speciality that’s the reason a dedicated centre is for them.”

He also said, “In order to treat the victims in accordance to the law, in case of rape and sexual abuse the victims will be taken to the gynaecology department first and then to the psychiatric department for counselling. Procedures for forensics, medical tests would be done at that time.”

The psychiatrist Dr Ali Gabrani, said, “It’s a wonderful move and it will help victims to speak about the crime, at the same time they will get treatment and their medical reports would be analysed in one place, which will help police in speedy investigation of crime.”

KEM Hospital has been treating and examining women and girls who have been sexually abused since 2012. They have also treated acid attack victims. The hospital witnesses approximately 150 to 200 cases like this each year.