• 15 June, 2024
• By - Admin

SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN SOMALIA THROUGH GBV

alima was relieved to learn she could seek medical treatment at the UNICEF-supported One-Stop Centre established in Bardheere. The GBV One-Stop center, conveniently located inside Bardheere General Hospital, is among 2 set up by NoFYL in September 2023 in Gedo which is supported by UNICEF in Somalia to improve access to support service for survivors of GBV. The centers have been essential in providing medical care, counseling, and referrals to other services for those affected by GBV. Since its inception in September 2023, the center has been instrumental in providing assistance to displaced women and girls who sought help for various issues, including cases of physical assault, sexual assault, and emotional/psychological distress. To date, over 265 GBV survivors have accessed medical and PSS support services, 16 survivors have been provided with the CMR services while 54 survivors with complex issues were referred to other hospitals for advanced treatment. Initially, Halima kept silent about the rape, as the potential stigma was too much to bear. Her ordeal remained undisclosed & hidden under layers of stigma & fear. Stigma related to sexual assault can lead survivors to keep their experiences hidden, fearing judgment, rejection, retaliation or marginalization from the very community that should ideally provide support. Most survivors don’t report cases, because the perpetrators are often close family members. The trauma, meanwhile, remains raw and debilitating.