Rapist ordered to take HIV test, Mmegi/ The Reporter


Date: January 1, 1970
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The report concerns the rape of a five-year old child by a 19 year old man. The court has ordered the perpetrator to be tested for HIV before sentence as this could affect the severity of the sentence according to Botswana law.

The article may be used to:
1. Demonstrate how fuller information can help the reader better understand the story.
2. Raise discussions on children and violence.
3. Raise debate on forced HIV testing in the case of criminal acts.
Trainer’s Notes: The article does not provide any legal background to the article explaining how and why Botswana law requires that convicted rapists who have HIV are given longer sentences than those who are HIV negative. The article misses the opportunity to provide information on the risks of transmission of HIV in the case of sexual assault of a child and does not deal adequately with the HIV dimension of the story. The article can be used to illustrate the need to give adequate background so that the reader can understand the story – in failing to explain how and why HIV status affects sentencing in sexual assault cases, the reader is left with many questions eg. does the perpetrator have to be aware of his HIV status when he commits the rape, what happens if the perpetrator uses a condom, why was this law enacted. 
 
Discussion Questions
1. Trainees can asked to identify the different types of violence that girls and women may be subjected to during their lifetimes and discuss the links between violence against women and HIV/AIDS.
2. Should
 
Training Exercises:
1. Trainees should rewrite the article, giving adequate background and information on the law.
 
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 


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