What can you do if you have been sexually assaulted
The first and most important thing is to seek help. Whether you call a friend or a family member, call the police or go to the hospital, it is important to seek help as soon as possible.
Call 112 (The single nationwide emergency number that can be called from all public telephone networks) or to the nearest police station. It is important to do this primarily for your safety but also to identify and catch the perpetrator. Calling the police as soon as possible increases the chances that the perpetrator will be identified and that the police will be able to identify the perpetrator and collect as much evidence as possible that can be used later in the criminal investigation.
Emotional Support
Also, it is important to talk to someone you trust, to tell them that you have been the victim of an assault. Abusers usually hope that the victim will be too ashamed or scare to tell anyone and such assaults go unsactioned and are repeated. It is important to talk about the assault, both to get emotional support and because these persons can be useful witnesses if we make a complaint against the abuser.
Fixation of traces of aggression
It is important to access medical care as soon as possible.You need to get to a doctor as soon as possible so that you can get the medical care you need but also so that evidence of the assault can be identified and recorded. It is best to go directly to a hospital, you should not change your clothes, avoid touching by other people (Ex: a situation of evidence damage - the victim's mother came with changes and helped the victim change her clothes which led to the alteration of biological evidence), do not wash, drink liquids or eat (situation of oral sex) so as not to remove the biological traces left by the perpetrator.
It is also your right to receive emergency contraception and PrEP (treatment to prevent HIV/AIDS).
What to do next?
Afterwards, it is important to get a medical-legal certificate (Forensic medicine offices), ask about how you can get a forensic (medico-legal) certificate to the police, hospital, the people in the centre where you are, representatives of NGOs you are in contact with. This is an extremly useful evidence that records the aftermath of the assault and can be crucial in holding the perpetrator accountable.
Ask for help
You can ask for support from specialized NGOs for individual psychological counselling, legal counselling, legal representation/assistance in front of the police, prosecutor's office, court. You can also ask for support for medical assistance.
With regard to the typical variant of the offences, i.e. coercion of an adult person to engage in sexual intercourse, oral or anal sexual acts and any other sexual acts, it is necessary to make a preliminary complaint in order to hold the perpetrator criminally liable within a maximum of 3 months from the date of the offence.
In Bucharest and Ilfov - ANAIS Association can help you with interpreting, legal advice, psychological counselling, social counselling, assistance/representation before the police, prosecutor's office, court: 0733948296
You can also seek psychological help in Ukrainian, online, which is provided by the Silni Foundation by calling the phone number 0 800 202 334, through a chat bot in a telegram channel, or by filling out the help request form.
If you are in Ukraine: women, men and children over 16 years of age can also receive assistance in the form of payment for medical services, psychological and legal assistance through the contacts indicated above.