Annually, over 550 survivors of sexual violence undergo forensic medical examinations in Moldova. Among them, 150 cases are handled by the Legal Medicine Center in Chișinău. With the support of UNFPA Moldova, the examination unit within this institution has been renovated and equipped with modern medical equipment, enabling the medical staff to provide comprehensive services to the victims.
According to Vasile Șarpe, the director of the Legal Medicine Center, “Today, the institutional capacities of the Legal Medicine Center have reached another level. The premises have been renovated and furnished with equipment and devices that meet international standards, including a dedicated area for victim counseling, a waiting area for accompanying persons or representatives of law enforcement, sanitary facilities including adapted bathrooms for individuals with special needs.”
The examination room has been equipped with a gynecological chair adapted for women with specific requirements, a sterilizer for medical devices, a medical cabinet for storing instruments, and medical furniture. Additionally, the renovated unit ensures confidentiality for the victims with a separate entrance.
Veronica Mihailov-Moraru, the Minister of Justice, expressed her conviction that the inauguration of the medical-legal examination unit will improve medical expertise services and, most importantly, enhance access to justice.
“Given that this examination, according to legal procedures, must meet several requirements such as promptness, medical ethics, exclusion of re-victimization circumstances and repeated exposure to embarrassing situations, the establishment of this unit will provide guarantees for the victim,” stated Mihailov-Moraru.
Alexandru Gasnaș, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova, emphasized the profound impact sexual violence has on survivors. He acknowledged that it not only causes physical suffering but can irreversibly change lives. Gasnaș stressed the responsibility to create decent and dignified conditions, highlighting that the establishment of this examination unit demonstrates care and concern.
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Felicia Bechtol, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, shared their joint commitment with the Ministry of Health to equip several district hospitals, with the support of UNFPA, to ensure that victims of sexual violence benefit from multisectoral assistance and improved care.
Nigina Abaszada, the representative of UNFPA Moldova, conveyed the primary message that sexual violence is a crime, and each case must be prosecuted. She called for the collaboration of society and the entire community to prevent and mitigate the risks of sexual violence while providing support to survivors.
The examination unit has been renovated and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment worth 1.2 million lei, thanks to UNFPA Moldova and the financial support provided by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Through these efforts, Moldova is taking significant strides to enhance support services for survivors of sexual violence and ensure their well-being and access to justice.