New Delhi, July 15 (FN Agency) The Delhi Commission for Women on Thursday issued notice to the Health Department of Delhi over long delays in conducting medical examination of sexual assault survivors at hospitals in Delhi.As per a statement issued by DCW, “The Commission assists all survivors of sexual assault through its Rape Crisis Cell and Crisis Intervention Centre programmes and provides psychological and legal assistance to the survivors of sexual assault.”
The counsellors of the commission remain present in the hospitals during the medical examination of survivors to provide them support during this process.”The Commission observed undue delays in conducting the medical examination of survivors. On an average, a rape survivor is made to wait for hours for her medical examination in the hospitals of the Capital,” it added.DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal said, “It is deeply distressing that a survivor is sometimes made to wait 15 hours in the national capital for her medical examination, which is mandated under the law and is an important part of investigation.”Such long delays cause extreme harassment and trauma to the survivor and multiply their misery manifold. We have issued a notice to the Health Department of Delhi Government and will work towards ensuring that this apathetic attitude towards rape survivors is urgently rectified.”This will also help Delhi Police in focusing on investigation of the case, as they shall also not have to wait in the hospitals for long hours with the survivor,” she added.