Rwanda National Police

Charity Misago (not real names) a resident of Kibugo Sector in Ngoma District came home one evening, only to learn that her four years old daughter had been sexually abused by a neighbour. She hurriedly took the child to the hospital and also reported the case to police. But the story of her daughter’s defiled had already spread around the village.

Misago’s daughter was taken care of by Isange One Stop Centre situated at Kibungo hospital where she was given the available free medical, legal and psycho-socio services.

The man behind the inhuman act was identified, arrested and currently serving a prison sentence.

But under the 'After-Care Service' programme, Rwanda National Police (RNP) gave Misago’s family a cow as means to provide the family with financial and social empowerment that partly contributes to the wellbeing and  mitigation of any form of stigma that may arise from the victim’s tragedy.

The 'After-Care Service' programmes also include close follow up in affected households to ensure that victims are well rehabilitated.

This programme is offered at all the current 23  Isange Once Stop Centres established in district hospitals across the country to respond to issues of gender based violence and child abuse.

‎"My daughter’s incident, hit us too hard, but we thank our police for being there for us at such a time. When we went to Isange, we were really helped in all ways including medical care, legal means to the time justice was served," says Misago.

"Even when we returned home, they continued visiting us to ensure that my daughter and even the family were doing okay, in doing so, they gave us a cow, which was a surprise that we always wanted and has had an impact in our family,” she adds.

"The cow provides fertilizers and milk for our children which they were lacking‎. Because of such services, we are able to find justice, victims rehabilitated and the standard of living improved in families. Today the story is no longer about the incident but about prospering. Yes, you can't forget but again you have to move forward,” she narrates.

Misago's daughter is among the 22 victims of GBV and child abuse in Ngoma that are currently under the After Care Services.

On March 9, Police officers in Ngoma visited these affected families to assess the impact of such programmes

According to Inspector of Police (IP) Beatrice Uwizeyimana from Isange Ngoma branch, by being close to such affected people, it gives them hope, breaks stigma and informs how better to respond to challenges they face after being abused or battered.

“We give out cows, goats and sometimes pay for the victim’s health insurance. The context here is to reintegrate the victim in the society without stigmatization and also empower them so that they don’t fall victim of the same violence again” Uwizeyimana‎ says.

Ngoma District Community Liaison Officers, Inspector of Police (IP) Jean Pierre Ndayisaba who has been following the 22 victims said: “Such services contribute a lot to building hope and confidence in the victim. Normally a victim of violence loses hope but when they receive such kind of care and attention they believe in refocusing and living better life.”

DCLOs in partnership with local leaders over see ‎the follow up programme of identified victims in districts.

“So far the results are impressive and what we aim at is to ensure that, after the medical, legal and counseling service, the victim is not held back by what happened because it's not the end of like; but beyond that we ensure that the identified vulnerable benefit from other national development and empowerment programmes so that they don’t fall victim of similar violations again,”  Ndayisaba says.

Isange offers free medical, legal and counseling services to victims of GBV and child abuse. The services are offered at no cost.

The scale up of the centre which works 24 hours is a joint programme between ministries of Health, Gender and Family Promotion, justice, RNP and the Netherlands Embassy in Rwanda.

The centre is set to be scaled up to remaining  districts hospitals before the end of this year.