4. Understanding Why Sgbv Is Often Underreported
> Do victims of SGBV have options about how to report abuse, both internally and
externally to the facility, including, for example, to a female or male staff member,
a person of the same religious or cultural background, a medical professional or
a lawyer?
> Are victims of and witnesses to violence able to access SGBV support programmes
similar to those available in the community? Have there been any attempts to
link with such community agencies to explore whether they can provide in-prison
services?
> Does the facility provide any awareness-raising materials on SGBV and what a detainee/prisoner should do if they become a target of such abuse, including information about whom to contact? At what stage do detainees/prisoners receive this
information? Is it displayed prominently in the detention facility? Is it provided in
languages understood by prisoners?
> If someone reports abuse, what measures are in place to ensure they are immediately protected from further violence? Are there any victims or witness protection
programmes available ,and do people know how to access them?
> How do prison authorities ensure that reports of SGBV are kept fully confidential,
in order to reduce the risk that perpetrators of violence will become aware and
take retaliatory action?
> What are the attitudes towards SGBV in the place of detention? Is there a culture
of treating SGBV as inevitable or part of the punishment of incarceration?
> Do prison authorities have effective control over the prison population, or is there
a strong culture of self-governance among prisoners?
> When someone reports that they have been subjected to sexual violence, do
authorities provide access to an independent health professional? Is it possible for
survivors to be assisted by an expert in documenting sexual assault?
> Do survivors of sexual violence have any access to experienced psychiatrists, psychologists and gynaecologists who are trained in treating survivors of such violence? Are those at risk of abuse aware that they could have access to such experts
if they were to report sexual abuse?
> What are the usual protection measures authorities put in place when a prisoner
reports that they have been the targets of abuse? How do authorities ensure that
victims are not penalized for reporting abuse?
> Are there any mechanisms in place to ensure that staff are not penalized for reporting SGBV?
18
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