B. MEASURES TO PROTECT AND SUPPORT VICTIMS 24. General principles States must adopt legislative, regulatory and all other measures necessary to protect the victims of sexual violence from any act of violence and to provide, timeous, efficient, comprehensive, accessible and free service at a reasonable distance from where the victims are located, which is adapted to the needs of victims and witnesses, after the violence takes place. Protection and support for the victims of sexual violence should be provided, regardless of whether they wish to engage in legal proceedings or testify against the perpetrator. This support must include services such as legal assistance, medical assistance (including access to a forensic medical examination), sexual and reproductive health care, and care for the prevention and treatment of HIV. It must also include psychological and financial support, housing assistance, training, education and support in finding employment. These services must have adequate human and financial resources and enough well-trained personnel, as recommended by the guidelines 14 and 15. 25. One-stop centres All protection and support services must be available at one location, and these centres must be specifically designed to provide all related services in an integrated manner. These services must be accessible, comprehensive, and of a high quality. In particular, centres must have a toll-free help line; be permanently staffed with counselors and support staff; provide medical care (including access to a forensic medical examination) and legal assistance; and enable victims to access police services. These centres must guarantee the safety of victims and their children. Explanatory Notes: See the Isange One Stop Center in Rwanda, established by the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, the Rwanda National Police, and the Ministry of Justice in 2009. See also Rwanda National Police, Isange One Stop Center Model, http://darpg.gov.in/sites/default/files/Rwanda.pdf. See the Coordinated Response Centers (CRC) in Zambia, especially Care, “One-Stop Model of Support for Survivors of Gender-based Violence” (2013). 26. Shelters States must take the necessary measures to create or fund, and improve, shelters for the victims of sexual violence and their children. These centres must be accessible to all victims, including those who reside in rural areas. They must guarantee the absolute safety of victims and their children and respect for their privacy and for the confidentiality of their case. The victims and their children must be welcomed and given temporary shelter at the centres and when they leave, they must be guided towards the appropriate housing services, if necessary. There must be enough of these centres to enable all victims to find refuge, especially those who are forced to leave their homes because of domestic violence. These structures must be sufficiently funded and staffed. Their personnel must be appropriately trained to welcome and care for the victims of sexual violence. Explanatory Notes: Maputo Protocol, Article 16; Explanatory Report to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (2011). See also “Away from violence: Guidelines for setting up and running a women’s refuge”, developed by Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) (2004). 27. Protection orders 27. 1. States must take the legislative and regulatory measures required to enable the relevant authorities to hand down protection orders, for victims in situations of immediate danger, imposing protection measures for the victims and different restraints on the person subjected to the order. These measures must ensure the prevention of acts of sexual violence or the protection of the victims of sexual violence and their children in emergency situations of imminent harm, and when the source of the violence is an intimate partner, former partner or ex-spouse. GUIDELINES ON COMBATING SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN AFRICA 25