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What do I do if I am raped? And what if the person who rapes me is HIV-positive?

My friend was raped a few years ago and contracted HIV. I don’t really feel safe in my neighbourhood. What should I do if I’m raped?

It is very sad that we live in a very violent society, which makes women and children especially vulnerable to sexual abuse such as rape.

According to the law in South Africa, a woman who becomes a rape victim should be given a short course of ART (anti-retroviral therapy) to prevent HIV infection, in case the rapist was HIV-positive. The treatment is called Post Exposure Prophalaxis or PEP. It simply means that you are taking drugs after being potentially exposed to HIV. A woman should take these drugs within 72 hours of being raped, otherwise they will not be effective.

As a woman and as the mother of a daughter, my wish is that this never happens to you or to any woman alive now or in future.

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