મેડલ ઓફ ધ ઓર્ડર ઓફ ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાથી સ્નમાનિત ડો વનિતા પારેખ

કેનબેરામાં નોંધાયેલ એક બળાત્કારના કિસ્સાને પગલે રાતોરાત ફોરેન્સિક મેડિકલ સેવાઓ શરૂ કરનાર ડો વનિતા પારેખને આ વર્ષે મેડલ ઓફ ધ ઓર્ડર ઓફ ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાથી સ્નમાનિત કરવામાં આવ્યા છે. શું બન્યું હતું એ રાતે અને ત્યારબાદ ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયાની પોલીસ અને સૈન્ય અધિકારીઓ સાથે કેવા પ્રોજટસ પર કામ કર્યું છે, ડો વનિતા પારેખે એસ.બી.એસ ગુજરાતી સાથે કરેલી વાતચીત.

OAM Associate Professor Vanita Parekh Source: SBS Gujarati

OAM  Associate Professor Vanita Parekh  is a senior staff specialist in sexual health and forensic medicine based at the Canberra Hospital. She is the director of the Clinical Forensic Medicine Services which includes the provision of medical and forensic care to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence funded under health. Dr Vanita Parekh told SBS Gujarati  she is really honoured and humbled to be receiving this award. 

“The team who have joined me have created an incredible service to serve our community.”

Highlighting her work with migrant women she said there are a few key things that Indian community in Australia needs to know.

Exposure to sexual violence may result in a number of immediate physical and psychological responses commonly associated with intense fear. None of these responses imply that consent has been provided by the victim.

Sexual and family violence occur throughout the spectrum of life no one is immune. And exposure to sexual violence may result in a number of immediate physical and psychological responses commonly associated with intense fear.

1. Freeze , where a person feels unable to move or paralysed. The freeze response is very common it is a myth to think that everyone fights back
2. Fight- a person fighting back in response to a perceived harm is a survival response to sexual violence.
3. Attempt to escape (flight) - Examples of this type of response are of jumping out of cars, trying to escape, trying to alert someone
4. Surrender- this response are to submit to sexual violence for fear of harm or death

These responses (voluntary and involuntary) may occur in isolation or in combination. None of these responses imply that consent has been provided by the victim.

Dr Parekh is urging the community to recognise that when someone tells you that they have experienced sexual or domestic violence that has taken a lot of courage on their part. So please take necessary steps to help them.

You can get help and guidance by calling 1800respect (1800 737 732) , a 24 hours counselling and support service across Australia.