In A Case of Rape, What Should You Do?

When my medical assistant called me to attend a case brought in by her school teachers, I didn’t expect the words that came out of the mouth of my 14-year old crying patient. 

“My father.. put his thing – inside me.” 

I was shocked, but had to keep calm and get a history, but the brief that I got was basically that it wasn’t an isolated case, and had been going on for quite awhile. What was even more shocking was the allegation that the mother knew about the apparent rapes for the years it had been going on for. 

The scenario that ensued was pretty ugly, especially when the mother made an appearance in clinic, and I had to consult both my specialist and my social worker to make sure I followed the correct procedure.

I thought I would share a bit about the procedures when it comes to handling a case like this, because the implications of what you do stretches beyond the initial consideration of what happens at that moment in time. 

1. You have to report a case of rape, sexual assault or abuse of minors. 

Anyone under 18 is protected under the law and anyone who identifies a child at risk is responsible for making that report, even if the individual or the family doesn’t want this to happen. In this case, the mother of the victim tried to hush me up by insisting it was a family matter and should be resolved internally, but I politely told her it was my legal obligation to make the call. 

2. In a case of rape, the victim needs to be examined by a specialist. 

 Sometimes, I think a medical practitioner can either get a bit overzealous or tries to verify the story prior to referral to a tertiary centre. It is essential that the victim be examined by an O&G specialist to avoid allegations for any potential trauma could have been caused by the first practitioner who examined the victim. 

 3. When making a police report, please specify ‘untuk tindakan’, or ‘for your action’. 

 Apparently a lot of people write ‘untuk makluman’, or ‘for your attention’ while making the police report, which basically means that the police do not have the power to further investigate the case. I know it sounds trivial, but apparently cases have been thrown out of court for this! 

4. Guardianship and consent. 

 In a case where there’s suspected physical or sexual abuse, be very careful about getting consent from the victim. It’s so much easier when parents bring in the victim, but when the parents are suspected to be the perpetrators, temporary guardianship is assigned and the specialist in charge can be allowed to consent for certain procedures as needed. 

5. When in doubt, consult. 

Every place has a procedure to follow, and if you’re not sure of the correct procedure, please consult your specialist or someone who might know. Most hospitals have an OSCC (One Stop Call Centre), but if you don’t, you can call up the chain of command to find out who might know. 

Please don’t forget to counsel the victim and offer what comfort you can. 

I very clearly told my patient that I had to make a police report and that her father would be investigated, and told her of the possibility that she might have to be placed under temporary guardianship once social services got involved. I warned her that she would have to be examined intimately and that people would bombard her with the same questions again and again, and that she might have to be prepared to answer them. 

I know it’s a difficult road she has to walk and I pray that she finds the strength to overcome what trials she’s had to undergo so early in life.

The Malaysian Couple in the Swedish Child Abuse Case

The news regarding the Malaysian couple detained in Sweden for alleged child abuse is confusing to say the least. One barely knows where to make head or tail of the situation, and it doesn’t help that the Malaysian media is full of sensationalism. Articles are springing up everywhere, backing the couple, condemning the couple, condemning the children – while the trial goes on and the children suffer. 

I detest the fact that the Malaysian media is handling this case so poorly. While naturally there is a bias towards the case, it is important to present the facts in an orderly manner. The sensational headlines do nothing but paint one party badly versus the other – in this case, either the children are made out to look like uncaring defensive children, or the parents are made to seem to like cruel child abusers. 

At the end of the day, there are many aspects to this story, like many others, it is one that spans many layers, and involves the whole lives of the family. There must be a real story, a middle ground. 

While Malaysians are raising arms to protest the jailing on the grounds of cultural belief; a belief that children should be disciplined by the parents as seen fit, one has to remember that the couple of on Swedish soil, and therefore under Swedish law. Actually scratch that. The Child Protection Act is international, and a responsibility to anyone who is a witness to report the crime – and this is a law that applies all over the world, regardless of nationality. Malaysia as a country has also ratified this law, and hence must uphold it. 

In this situation, it is essential to protect the identity of the children – they are still minors, and they shouldn’t have even been allowed to be giving press statements in the first place. How is it that the Malaysian media has so freely put up names, and photos, easily condemning these children to the discrimination of the public, a public which doesn’t even know what the true story is. It is not just an invasion of privacy, it is borderline dangerous. 

This is not uncommon practice here, there have been other instances where the media has so easily shared essential information regarding identity of children in previous cases – to what effect? Generate buzz, and therefore sales? While these reporters and the folks at the news may be able to go ahead happily with their own lives, these children are being subjected to the indignation of strangers – just because we allowed it to happen. 

I do not know the real story. Perhaps the public might never know. I do, however, urge Malaysians and the media to act with a bit more prudence with their actions – sensationalizing the story is not going to affect the outcome at the court case, and the children have to live their whole lives based on the outcome of this case. It will not help to call out against the condemnation of these children. 

I don’t believe that it is justified to physically beat a child. Even in Islam, there are specific rules and ways of punishment – physical abuse is not one of them. For all those who are claiming that children should be allowed to disciplined by their own parents, there is always a limit – the parents as caregivers must also know the correct way of disciplining behaviour. 

At the end of the day, I wish for the best outcome for both parents and children. Allah is just, and the truth will be clear, in the Hereafter if not in this world. It is not our place to judge and condemn, least not without knowing the facts.