Africa-Press – Tanzania. A MEDICAL expert in the region has taken issue with the filling of Police PF 3 forms. Dr David Osima, who is also the Karatu District Medical Officer, has alleged that medical practitioners were forced into filling in the forms when victims of crimes had not fully recovered.
The DMO singled out victims of sexual abuse as the ones bearing the brunt of PF 3 forms, when they are still recuperating in hospitals. “Some of us fill them up haphazardly and they end up losing their rights,” opined Dr Osima at a workshop to mark 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, held recently in the district.
The medical expert appealed to the Police Force and social workers to sensitize the public on the Tanzania Police Medical Examination forms. According to Dr Osima, most victims of sexual abuse are denied their rights and end up suffering simply because the forms where hurriedly filled up to tamper with evidence.
A PF 3 is a document that is given to a victim or survivor of a crime after an assessment by the police officer that there is reasonable basis to believe that an offence has been committed against the victim or survivor. According to the laws of the land, survivors must obtain a medical examination form from the police, in order to be examined by a health practitioner.
The form which is used to document physical or other injury, is divided into two sections to be completed by a police officer and a health practitioner. Speaking earlier, a community development officer with Karatu District Council, Elizabeth Herman appealed to members of the public to come to the children’s rescue. “As child care provider, you also need to be aware of the child’s safety,” she said.
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