Help scarce for refugee rape victims in Jordan

A New York-based refugee advocacy group says Iraqi refugee rape victims in Jordan receive little medical care.

Sarah Chynoweth of the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children says emergency contraception and treatments that help reduce exposure of HIV are not available in Jordan. She spoke Monday during a visit to the Jordanian capital, Amman, to review the health situation.

She could not provide statistics on rape in Jordan because of the taboo associated with sex outside marriage in the socially conservative Muslim country.

But she says the issue is of concern because displaced Iraqi women are "more vulnerable to rape" due to their illegal status. Many are fearful of reporting rape to police and family members.