This course is for healthcare workers working in Primary Care. It focuses on safely treating all victim-survivors of sexual offences and refers to Adult Primary Care (APC). 



If you work in South Africa, in any province outside the Western Cape: This course will be available shortly.


About the course

Duration: 
It will take you approximately 5 hours to complete. 


Eligibility for this course: 

  • Although it is designed for nurses, it will be valuable to all healthcare professionals.
  • Work in South Africa, in any province outside the Western Cape


Certification: 
Participants need 70% pass mark for final quiz.


Published: 
April 2023

Course curriculum

This course covers the following content:

1. Responding to trauma

  • Introductions: Training learning outcomes, How this training works
  • Understanding the trauma response: Thoughts, feelings and behaviours, Fight, flight, freeze responses. Self-reflection on how these impact on how to care fully in a consultation
  • Self-care: How to care for oneself so that you can care for others.
  • Communicating with care: Reiterate the do's and don’t's of communicating effectively from APC
  • Medicolegal responsibilities: Batho Pele principles, Confidentiality, Reporting obligations, Consent


2. Steps to guide safe practice

PART 1: definitions and management of the adult victim-survivor

  • Legal definitions of sexual offences
  • Your approach to victim-survivors of sexual offences
  • The path a victim-survivor follows to get the right help 
  • Step 1: Inform/provide emergency medical care and  management of the adult.


PART 2: Management of the adult victim-survivor continued

  • Step 2: inform adult about legal options/mandatory reporting if applicable.
  • Step 3: non-urgent medical care, referral, recording  and follow up of the adult victim-survivor.


PART 3: management of children who have been sexually abused (appropriate guidelines for those <18 years old)

  • Step 1: provide emergency medical care & management of the child. 
  • Step 2: reporting processes for the child.
  • Step 3: non-urgent medical care, referral, recording, and follow up, of the child.


3. Working within your facility: health system strengthening

  • Using the resources in your health facility: Facility supplies, facility staff, essential services and process flow.
  • Using the resources in your community: Mapping support networks in the community.


4. Self-care for the HCW: utilising the services available

  • Self-care and stress management resources
  • How to have a supportive team conversation
  • Useful support services