“Men need to be empowered too so that they can change their mindset,” Kithika points out.

One of the solutions that has been hailed as a success especially in violent encounters is the post exposure drug, Prophylaxis (PEP). The post rape drug that is available at most gender recovery centres for free to survivors has proved effective in the fight against HIV if taken within 72 hours.

“Women who are raped should stop trying to heal themselves at home because they fear the shame and report the incident since if they take PEP within good time, the virus can be stopped from getting into their blood stream,” advises Kithika.

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Phyllis Nyambura