PROCEDURES related to hospital examination for suspected rape victims need to be improved, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri said.

She said taking into account the traumatic situation faced by rape victims, she hoped the Health Ministry (MOH) would consider granting permission for the victim to be examined at a hospital without first lodging a police report.

“Our recommendation is since the report and rape kit must be made within 72 hours, the victim does a medical examination first and then the victim is allowed to decide whether to make a police report or not. We will let MOH decide (on this suggestion),” she said in a press conference in conjunction with the Sepeda Amal Borneo 2023 charity programme in Kuching, today.

Nancy said the procedures for handling cases of suspected rape victims currently state that a police report must first be made before the victim is allowed to undergo further examination.

“When the victim goes to the counter (at the hospital) they would be referred to the police first. The police would then give permission to conduct the medical examination because they (police) require evidence for the case,” she said.

She was commenting on a media report on July 8 about an individual who was allegedly dissatisfied with the services of the One Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC) in Sarawak in its handling of the case of a woman suspected of being raped recently.

Following that, Sarawak health director Dr Ooi Choo Huck, in his statement, said the woman refused to lodge a police report and did not give permission for further evaluation to be carried out despite being advised by the medical officer on duty.

Ooi said after a discussion with an emergency physician on duty, the woman was sent to the OSCC, where the medical officer conducted a comprehensive examination, including examining her vital signs.

Nancy said the matter was a miscommunication between the victim and the hospital, and that it has been resolved. She hoped such an incident will not recur. – Bernama, July 16, 2023.