A charity for rape survivors has labelled the way in which victims are forced to wait to see a female doctor after a traumatic assault as “inhumane”.
Rape Crisis Scotland has submitted evidence to Holyrood’s health committee – which is scrutinising proposals for sexual assault victims to have the right to ask for forensic examinations without first reporting the incident to police.
The Forensic Medical Services Bill, currently being considered by MSPs, would allow rape victims to be able to refer themselves for medical examinations.
In its submission, the charity has criticised how survivors of rape and sexual assault can be treated by sometimes having to wait hours to see a female doctor.
READ MORE: Rape victims given right to forensic tests before involving police
It says: “The single most common complaint we hear from survivors of sexual crime about their experience of the forensic examination is lack of access to female doctors.
“Despite overwhelming evidence of a strong preference for female doctors to carry out intimate examinations following rape, in many areas of Scotland survivors continue to be examined by male doctors.
“There continues to be a lack of meaningful choice, with some survivors being told that if they wish to see a female doctor they will need to wait for a number of hours, meaning that they are faced with a ‘choice’ of an examination within a reasonable timescale with a male doctor, or waiting for hours without washing post rape in order to have a female doctor.
"This is in our view inhumane.”
The statement adds that "many rape survivors experience significant delays" in examinations being organised which can have "a profound impact" on victims.
The charity raises concerns there is "a lack of joined up, proactive care" to meet the needs of victims "immediately following a rape or sexual assault".
It adds: "Crucially, services must be adequately resourced.
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"This needs to be considered not only in relation to the additional cases which it is estimated are likely when the self-referral provision in this bill is implemented, but also in relation to how the NHS can be equipped as a whole to provide joined up and trauma informed services of the standard that survivors in Scotland deserve.”
Victim Support Scotland , an organisation that supports victims of crime, has called for the self-referral to be extended from its current proposal for 16-year-olds to 13-year-olds.
In an evidence statement, the charity said: “Victim Support Scotland considers it to be detrimental to restrict under 16s from the self-referral process.
“Due to their age and the potential nature of the harmful sexual behaviour, especially in instances that may involve a family member, they are likely to feel less comfortable seeking a forensic medical examination through the police and prefer an alternative setting for their initial steps towards seeking the involvement of criminal justice agencies.
“Knowing what we do about prevalence rates and seeing our service face increasing demand for young people's support, we would advocate for the self-referral to extend to 13-plus.”
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