Center for rape victims opens at Bucharest hospital

A pilot Crisis Center for Rape Situations opened at the Emergency University Hospital in Bucharest (SUUB) on November 26. The center will provide medical and forensic examination, post-traumatic assistance and counseling for the victims of sexual violence. Ten other similar centers are to open in the country with the help of Norwegian funding. The center aims to change the management of the rape victims coming into emergency rooms of hospitals. “Most rape cases get lost in between the hospital and the Mina Minovici Forensic Medicine Institute (INML) because women give up on pursuing legal action, either for lack of courage or trust or because they cannot go and ask for a forensic certificate. The novelty consists in an integrated intervention of a multi-disciplinary team,” Adriana Nica, the manager of SUUB, explained, quoted by Agerpres. The victims of sexual violence will be able to come at the emergency room of SUUB, and the specialist physician will notify the Police, which will start the legal procedures to prosecute the aggressor and issue the two needed documents: and order for taking samples and for forensic examination. “This project aims to ensure that documents will travel and not patients, the victims of rape. The victims will receive medical care, psychological counselling, social protection, according to each case,” Nica explained. The center is part of pilot program initiated by the National Agency for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (ANES), in a partnership with the Health Ministry, SUUB, the District 5 City Hall, the Mina Minovici Institute and the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police. Romanian MP wants punishment for rape similar to that for murder editor@romania-insider.com