Family Protection Authority (FPA) has voiced concerns today that despite rising sexual crimes, rape evidence kits are only available in two hospitals in the country.
FPA brought up these concerns at today's meeting of Parliament's Committee on Human Rights and Gender. The meeting was held to review the FPA's 2024 annual report and monitoring report.
At the meeting, FPA shared their findings in the monitoring report in relation to rape evidence kits.
The FPA said that monitoring was conducted from June to December 2024. They said that three monitoring reports have been compiled to date and shared with the parliament and the relevant ministry.
FPA cited statistics showing a rise in sexual crimes and said that one of eight cases submitted to them are concerning sexual abuse crimes.
However, the facilities to conduct necessary tests on victims of sexual abuse are lacking in most islands, FPA said.
FPA Chief Executive Officer Aminath Shirani Naeem said that only two hospitals in the country have rape evidence kits available.
"The only two hospitals that have rape evidence kits are Hulhumale' Hospital and Kulhudhuffushi Regional Hospital. Of the 193 hospitals and health centres that were monitored, only one health service worker had training in victim and trauma management," she said.
Shirani said that this health service worker, who is employed at the Kulhudhuffushi Regional Hospital, had privately pursued training.
She further said that the FPA has met with Health Minister Nazim Ibrahim and raised concerns about the lack of rape evidence kits. She said that the Minister had assured that rape evidence kits will be provided to hospitals and health centres by the end of the month, and victim and trauma management training will be provided by the end of the year.
"The ministry claims that all hospitals will have the required resources. That they are saying they don't have it because there isn't a specific item labelled as rape evidence kits," Shirani said.
The Health Ministry has now decided to provide rape evidence kits specifically named as such to hospitals.
