To the NTC
Gaddafi is using rape as a systematic method of war. Rape is happening everyday and mass rapes are taking place as we speak. The victims of such crimes are not only entitled to adequate medical treatment but also to psychological support and specialized therapy. Along the Tunisian boarder, a clinic taking care of victimized girls and women has successfully been established. Its female staff are trained to deal with these cases and has been of great support in helping the women to cope with the aftermath of their traumatic experiences.
We request that a similar clinic be set up inside Libya itself to specifically take care of the women and girls who have been traumatized by the effects of sexual abuse carried out by Gaddafi soldiers. A clinic with female staff and doctors who are specifically trained to handle rape and abuse cases is a vital prerequisite for the victims to cope with their horrific experiences and learn to live a normal life again.
It is not their fault to have been targets of a systematic machinery of war. Shaming them and abandoning them in this dire hour is only playing to Gaddafi's advantage. Support by signing the petition to NTC to ensure they receive the psychological and physical support they need.
Some links regarding the topic:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/hundreds-of-libyan-women-report-being-raped-by-gadhafi-forces-but-count-could-be-much-higher/2011/05/28/AGzjKTDH_story.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLz8Fv0eik
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldcu5x8UTDE&feature=share
Dr. Fathi Abu-Zakhar "our families were not afraid of dying, they were afraid of rape"
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