National Guidelines on Management of Sexual Violence in Kenya

7. Types of Counseling
• Trauma counseling and psycho-education;
• EC counseling and unwanted pregnancies;
• Pre-and post-test HIV counseling;
• Adherence counseling for Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV and
other STIs;
• Follow-up sessions;
• Psychosocial support for groups and the community;
• Information on survivors’ rights, including legal care.
7.1 Trauma Counseling and Psycho-Education
• The recommended minimum period of trauma counseling is five lessons.
• The first session should include psycho-education and information on the
nature and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• The stabilization of the survivor is an important step at the beginning of the
counseling process.
Stabilization means that the person gets a sense of “being grounded” back on their feet
again, emotionally and socially. Emotional stabilisation means mending the identity
of the traumatised person.
Note: The counselor should assess the safety of the environment to which the survivor
is returning in case of domestic sexual violence and make referrals as appropriate.
7.2 Counseling Related to the Possibility of a Pregnancy
Emergency Contraception
The counselor should explain that after EC is provided, there is still a risk of pregnancy.
The later EC is taken, the higher the risk of a pregnancy.
Pregnancy Counseling
The counselor should educate the pregnant survivor on short and long term
consequences of unwanted pregnancy after rape. The survivors should be given
information on child adoption or termination of pregnancy as available options
(Termination of pregnancy is allowed in Kenya after rape. It however requires
psychiatric evaluation and recommendation [Sexual Offences Act 2006]). In case the
woman decides to terminate the pregnancy, counseling is necessary before and after
termination of the pregnancy to prevent long term consequences of the pregnancy
termination.
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