The first hours
What to do first
Six steps for the first hours. Do what you can. None of them has to be done alone.
This page is being checked by a lawyer. Use it as general information for now.
It is not your fault. Not what you wore, not where you were, not whether you had been drinking, not whether you knew them, not whether you fought back.
Which describes you? The steps are the same. Some rights are different.
Get safe
Go somewhere you feel safe. If you are in danger, call 112.
Tell one person you trust
A parent, a counsellor, a teacher, a friend’s parent. If you are under 18 you can call the Child Helpline on 1098. Women can call 181.
Know this before you tell an adult. If you tell an adult that someone has sexually abused you, the law says they must tell the police. This is true for teachers, counsellors, doctors and everyone else. The rule exists to protect you.
You can ask them: “What will happen next?” “Who will you tell?” “Can someone I trust be with me?”
You decide what happens next. Medical care, a police report and a trial are separate decisions. You can do one without the others, and you can take your time.
If it was physical, protect the evidence if you can
Before a doctor sees you, if you can:
- Don’t bathe, shower or wash
- Don’t change your clothes. If you already have, put them in a paper bag, not plastic, and don’t wash them
- Don’t clean up the place where it happened
It is natural to want to wash. If you already have, go anyway. Your account, any injuries and other evidence still matter.
Keep anything that shows what happened
Messages, screenshots, call logs, photos, and the names of anyone who saw or heard something. Don’t delete anything, even if it is upsetting to look at.
See a doctor. It is free
Hospitals must treat you free of cost. For the medical examination that can be used as evidence, a government hospital is best, because in practice that is what the police and courts rely on.
- You can ask for a woman doctor, and someone you trust can be in the room
- The doctor should explain each step. You can ask questions, take a break or say stop
- Two medicines only work if you start within 72 hours: medicine to prevent HIV, and emergency contraception (some types work up to 120 hours). Ask for them
A doctor can examine and treat you before any police report has been made. The doctor will inform the police.
You don’t need a police report first. The hospital has to inform the police, but you still choose whether to make a complaint or give a statement.
If you give a statement
- Take your time. You can ask for breaks
- Say everything you remember, even small things or things that feel embarrassing. A full first account helps later
- It is fine to say “I don’t know” or “I don’t remember”. Don’t guess
- Ask for it to be read back to you before anything is signed, and correct anything that is wrong
You don’t have to go to a police station. An officer, usually a woman and not in uniform, comes to your home or a place you choose. A parent or someone you trust can be with you.
You can report at any police station, wherever it happened. Your statement can be recorded at your home, by a woman officer.
What next
- Under 18The POCSO Act protects everyone under 18, whatever their gender.
- AdultsThe main offences, how to report, and your right to a woman officer.
- Rights for everyoneFree medical treatment, a free lawyer, compensation, and your name kept private.
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