Present practices of rape care management in Thuthuzela Care Centres of the North West Province

Abstract

We aimed to characterise practices of rape care management centres in a South African setting. Participants were rape survivors consulted in Thuthuzela care centres of the North West Province. They indicated which acute medical management they received when reporting rape, and which mental health care management they received during follow-up care visits. We analysed the descriptive data to characterise practices around acute medical management provided immediately after reporting rape, and to characterise mental health care management that was provided during follow-up care visits. Findings suggest that most of the rape survivors received acute mental care management to manage injuries, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), pregnancy, and Human Immune deficiency Virus (HIV). However, few rape survivors received acute mental health care management during follow-up care visits.