In the name of patriarchy
16 year old girl came to GYN clinic with abdominal pain, she said she is betrothed, the MALE intern took history and went for PCOS or Ectopic pregnancy. I asked her if she is a virgin? She said yes, of course. I explained that if she is lying, it will affect her diagnosis.
"I've been raped 2 months ago, it wasn't my husband. I didn't know him. "
She is 16, with a husband and father and brothers who will kill her when they realize she is not a virgin.
She is thinking about suicide.
She is begging to be admitted to the hospital.
Her story is vague. She is trying to hide who was the raper. She is not ok. She is crying. She is 16.
She has an infection.She needs medical help. She hasn't been checked by a forensic physician. She hasn't been checked for HIV or HBV or STIs.
She doesn't care. Just cry and beg me. "They will know, they will know I'm not a virgin"
Later, my attending said: the rape may be wanted by herself, maybe she had a boyfriend and was dollying behind her husband.
My male colleague laughed and said: poor her husband, he doesn't know WHAT he is getting. Poor man is getting second hand.
My other male colleague said: when girls are not vigilant, this will happen to them. Take care of yourself.
Everyone laugh and forget.
And I'm screaming in my mind. Nobody hears me. Nobody cares.
She was just 16. Crying, panicking. Because she wasn't a VIRGIN. Not because she was raped. Not because she has infection. Not because she may have HIV.
And in my mind I'm planning. We need shelters. We need somewhere for these girls. Somewhere for them to take their medical help.
We need a plan. No one helps us. We need a plan.
