Moz rapes girl, The Swazi Observer

Trainer’s Notes:  The article does not deal with HIV at all, a significant omission because of the risks of HIV transmission following rape, which are increased when the victim is young.  The journalist has attempted to include the version of the perpetrator and the victim and ensure that the article is balanced, but has only reported on the fact surrounding the rape. It does not deal with the trauma suffered by the victim and her injuries. The article does not use stigmatising language, although the headline is xenophobic.

Training exercises: Trainees should discuss how to include HIV in this article, in order to highlight the risks of HIV transmission following sexual assault, but also to raise the concerns and fears of victims of sexual assault about HIV infection.  Trainees should consider the different issues relating to adult and child survivors of sexual violence and how these will be dealt with in identifying sources and obtaining comment.  Trainees can investigate whether post-exposure prophylaxis is available to rape survivors at public hospitals.  If so, trainees should interview health care workers about the provision of PEP. If it is not available, trainees should write an article about the implications for survivors of violence.

Links to Training Resources:  Gender and HIV/AIDS: A Training Manual for Southern African Media and Communicators, Gender Links and the AIDS Law Project, Chapter 6 www.genderlinks.org.za/docs/training/hiv-training-manual/hiv-ch6.pdf