Seminars on sexual violence and HIV/AIDS in Belarus

Nadya Avsievich


     In October 2003  Charlene Smith, the journalist and the rape survivor from South Africa, took part in the seminars on sexual violence and HIV/AIDS in Minsk and Svetlogorsk. 

     The interest to this event was great – it was coming mostly from the side of NGOs working on the issues of sexual violence, violence towards children, HIV/AIDS, female NGOs, authorities and mass media. This interest was caused, to my mind, by many reasons, but mostly by the fact that the problem of sexual violence has never before been connected with HIV in Belarus. 

   I would like to mention several things. 

     In Belarusian society it is quite common to moralize over the fact of rape: oh, that woman was drunk, she was wearing a very short skirt, she had too much make up and did not behave properly – so what did she expect – it was quite natural that she was raped. The attention is mostly shifted to the behaviour of women, who have to take responsibility and behave themselves not to provoke men. Men are regarded to be some kind of creatures who have some “natural needs” and can’t control themselves seeing women’s “evil nature”. 
Charlene said about this: “Nobody blames banks for storing money when the money are stolen by the robbers. Does money provoke the robbers? No it is quite natural for money to be kept in banks. Rapists rape quite ordinary women in quite ordinary circumstances. I, for example, was raped in my own home, and I was not either drunk or dressed in a fancy way”. 

     Charlene was speaking about rape in the context of human rights violation. She said, for instance: “If I lay here on the floor drunk and naked – NOBODY has a right to abuse me, because this is a violation of human rights”. 

     Belarusian participants of the seminar were astonished when Charlene Smith introduced herself as a journalist and a rape survivor. 
     Usually in Belarus women, having faced sexual violence, never dare speak out. They are as a rule ashamed of what have happened to them and feel guilty. Charlene said: “This is a rapist who should feel guilty and ashamed and who should take all the responsibility for the ordeal and should be punished. The rape survivor should speak out and report about the rape. I remember a teenaged girl, who was raped by the man, who has raped more than a dozen women before her. So that girl said: “I hate the woman who has been before me. If she had reported, it would not have happen to me, because he would have stopped ””.

     Charlene was speaking about sexual harassment, rape and children. She said: “Do you know what is the most unsafe place for children? It’s their homes and schools. Children are usually raped not by some horrible strangers, but by people whom they know and respect - for instance, relatives and teachers. Children do not dare tell their parents about what have happened to them, because they are afraid to be punished by their parents. Parents are more likely to believe adults than their own children. So children get severely traumatized and keep silent. That is why it is very important for parents to be very close to their children and talk with them openly about love, sexuality, rape and HIV”. 

     In Belarus there is no practice to give AZT or other anti-HIV medication to rape survivors. It is admitted that HIV is transmitted through sexual contacts – but nothing is said about rape! So, to my mind, that was the first time it was said that HIV and sexual violence were connected. 

     Charlene also said that it took her much time and efforts to attract the attention of the authorities of South Africa to the problems of HIV and sexual violence. She mentioned that she realized that there is no need to sit and wait until the authorities start to do something. It is necessary to take an active stand and act. For Belarusian audience it was very important to hear about the role of an individual in making positive changes. 

     I think that the speech of Charlene Smith at the seminars was an informational break through. The audience appreciated that she has challenged traditional thinking on sexual violence, women’s liberation, trauma management and HIV/AIDS. 

     The seminars with Charlene Smith’s participation caused much discussion and were highlighted in mass media.