Guidance

Information for Survivors of Rape and Sexual Assault

Updated 7 December 2023

This information is provided to help British nationals overseas make informed decisions about whether and how to:

• seek medical advice and attention
• report to local police
• engage with foreign legal authorities following a rape or other form of sexual assault overseas

If you have been sexually assaulted it’s important to remember that it was not your fault. Rape and sexual assault is always wrong – no matter who commits it or where it happens. It is traumatic and it can affect you both physically and emotionally. Do not be afraid to get help.

For information on support available in the UK, see Rape and Sexual Assault: Returning to the UK.

1. First steps

It is your choice about what you do next, but this information may help you in coming to a decision. The most important thing is to make sure that you are as safe as you can be. You can:

• contact the local police on 1500. For a crime to be investigated, you need to report it to the local police before you leave the country
• contact your tour operator, if you are travelling with one, for assistance. Where possible, and if you wish, the tour operator may accompany you to the police station as well as local hospital
• contact the British High Commission Yaoundé on +44 207 008 5000. British High Commission staff will be empathetic, and non-judgmental, and can provide information on local police and medical procedures. Anything you tell them will be treated in the strictest confidence. They can contact your family or friends for you if you wish

2. If you want to report the incident to the police in Cameroon

You will need to report the crime while you are in Cameroon for the police to investigate the case.

If you choose to report the crime, try to do so as soon as possible, so forensic evidence can be retained.

Washing yourself or your clothes may make it difficult for the police to obtain forensic evidence.

If you have a tour operator, they should be able to arrange for someone to support you.

If you approach the police directly, you can also ask them to inform Yaoundé British High Commission on +44 207 008 5000 and they can offer you consular support. If you are in Yaoundé, they will try to send a consular officer to support you, where timing and location allow. You will always be able to speak to trained consular staff on the telephone 24/7.

If you change your clothes, think about taking those you were wearing to the police. You may wish to preserve evidence by retaining items such as condoms, toothbrushes, or texts.

You should:

• insist you get a police report, and request a translation in English if applicable
• tell the police if you think you have been drugged

3. What to expect if you report the incident to the police:

There is a special department in Cameroon who investigate rape and sexual assault cases. If you decide to report the incident, you will be supported by these trained officers. You can ask to speak to a male or female officer. By default, a female victim will be assigned a female officer and vice versa.

Police precincts have English and French speaking officers, so you can ask for a police officer who speaks in English if you would prefer.

The police will lead the investigation. They will collect DNA evidence and may examine your clothes. In addition, they will ask you to describe:

• the perpetrator
• the crime scene
• the details of the assault, including whether there were any witnesses who might be able to help with the case

You will not be requested to surrender your passport to the police, or prohibited to leave the country once the initial investigation is completed.

Consider appointing a local lawyer to accompany you when you provide your statement to the police. See our list of English speaking lawyers in Cameroon who may be able to help you.

Investigations are not judge-led, however, in the event of an arrest the matter may be sent before an examining magistrate who shall open a preliminary investigation.

If the person who committed the crime against you was in a position of authority or care over you, their sentence may be harsher.

Both extra-marital sex and homosexuality are crimes in Cameroon and punishable by law.

4. If you do not want to report the incident to the police in Cameroon

The British High Commission in Yaoundé will be able to help you. This includes helping you to contact your insurance company, your family, making arrangements to travel back to the UK and/or provide you with information on local support in the UK. They can provide you with a list of translators and interpreters in Cameroon and a list of English-speaking lawyers in Cameroon.

If you are travelling with one, you can also report the incident to your tour operator and ask them for assistance. If you wish, the tour operator may accompany you to the local hospital. If you wish, and depending on location and timing, a member of consular staff may be able to accompany you.

It is your choice on whether to report the crime. However, if you don’t report it, your case may not be investigated.

You do not need to report the crime to police in order to receive medical attention. However, the hospital may ask to see documentation from police about your case.

5. If you want to report the incident to the police in the UK

The support available to you, and your access to justice, may vary according to where you report the crime. In Cameroon, you need to report the crime before you leave the country if you want it to be investigated and police to obtain important evidence.

If you are staying in Cameroon, where the crime took place, you should report the crime there. If you are a British national and you need help to report the crime, you can contact the British High Commission in Yaounde on +44 207 008 5000 or the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London on +44 207 008 3355.

If you do not report the crime in Cameroon, and you return to the UK, you can still report the matter to your local UK police. The UK police should send the information you provide to Cameroon. However, it is for Cameroonian police forces to decide whether to investigate a crime in their jurisdiction and they may not take action.

You can report the crime to the UK police even if you are not seeking an investigation abroad. The UK police can offer you access to victim support in the UK. They may still send some details of the crime to police in Cameroon. This might be necessary in order to protect vulnerable people, or to stop more crimes being committed.

6. Reporting the crime in Cameroon - what happens next?

If you decide to report your case to the authorities, you will need to make a statement about the incident and provide a description of the attacker. The police in Cameroon will not inform the UK police, nor ask the UK police to do a background police check.

If you choose to report the crime, try to do so as soon as possible, so forensic evidence can be retained. Washing yourself or your clothes may make it difficult for the police to obtain forensic evidence. The police may take you to the hospital if you need it. Hospitals are easily accessible in major cities, but not common in local areas.

If you change your clothes, think about taking those you were wearing to the police. You may wish to preserve evidence by retaining items such as condoms, toothbrushes, or texts and social media messages.

The police may keep your belongings, such as clothes, or electronic equipment, if they need them for forensic examination.

Tell the police if you think you have been drugged.

Insist you get a police report and request a translation in English if applicable.

7. The medical examination – what to expect

Please be aware that not all medical centres are equipped to treat rape and sexual assault victims. However, in major hospitals, which are mostly in big cities, medical staff will assess you for external injuries and take swabs. You can also be tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

Hospitals do not automatically report the results of any examination to police.

It is most likely that a female member of medical staff will take care of you. If not, you can request one.

If notified in advance, a consular officer or Honorary Consul from the British High Commission may be able to accompany you to the hospital. Local tour operators should also be able to do this.

8. Treatment

HIV PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) medication is available in Cameroon. The health care provider or emergency room doctor will evaluate you, help you decide whether PEP is right for you, and work with you to determine which medicines to take for PEP. Please note that the contraception is not free, nor is the PEP treatment. You can get both at any pharmacy, local clinic or medical centre.

HIV PEP medication needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective. The NHS may be able to commence or continue the 28-day treatment on return to the UK

You can buy emergency contraception from most pharmacies. In most cases, it needs to be prescribed by a medical practitioner.

Emergency contraception needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective.

You will be expected to pay all hospital bills and prescriptions in cash in most hospitals. Check your travel insurance policy to see if it covers medical costs.

If you have had medication administered overseas, you should keep the label or make a note of the name of the medication, so that you let your local health provider know when you return home.

9. Police investigations in Cameroon – what to expect

The police may take you to the scene of the crime or they may ask you to identify the suspect in an identity parade at the police station.

If the police make an arrest, they have 48 hours within which to take the suspect to the prosecutor. Rape is a felony in Cameroon, and the victim is expected to go in front of the public prosecutor to make a statement. If you decide to get a lawyer, they may assist you to make the statement. Investigations of rape cases are usually in chambers; however, lawyers may have access to the victim and notes.

You may leave the country once the case is filed.

10. Court and trial procedures – what to expect

When you report the crime, the State Counsel of the area where the crime took place files a complaint to the courts. This means that you would need not to file any particular documentation yourself, as the state counsel prosecutes the crime on your behalf. You will be required to provide a local address in Cameroon for contact. If you hire a lawyer, this can be your lawyer’s office.

After preliminary investigations, the examining magistrate shall render a ruling setting the matter for trial.

If a suspect is brought to trial, you may be required to testify in court after the offender is charged and enters their plea. You will not have to attend all sessions, but it’s likely you will be required to give your testimony. You cannot testify from the UK as this is seen to weaken the prosecution. The authorities in Cameroon will not assist with your travel and accommodation arrangements.

Due to the sensitive nature of rape cases, the hearing may not be public.

Depending on which part of the country the crime took place determines the language of the trial. The trial will be in English if the crime took place in the English-speaking part of the country, and French for the French speaking part of the country. You may request an interpreter if needed. You can contact your local tribunal office before your hearing to ask for an interpreter or you can find a translator or interpreter based in Cameroon.

The length of time it takes for a case to come to trial will vary, depending on the circumstances of the case. The length of Rape and Sexual Assault trials will also differ between cases, but it is likely trials may take up to 6 months including the sentencing. There may be a long gap between the end of a trial and final sentencing.

It is unlikely you will be kept updated on the case if you do not hire a lawyer. If you would like updates, you can check in with the court registry or police if the matter is still under investigation.

You have the right to appeal the sentencing.

You can file a civil claim after the suspect has been convicted, in which case hiring a lawyer would be necessary and you may be required to give an additional statement. Appeals may take between 6 months to 8 months.

If you decide to drop charges once they have been filed, you would face no legal repercussions for doing so. However, the prosecution may still prosecute in spite of the fact that you have dropped charges.

The alleged assailant may press counter charges claiming false accusation.

11. Hiring a lawyer

A privately hired lawyer will assist in a civil claim, however they would have no role in the proceedings as this is done by the state prosecutor. If you decide to bring a civil case against the perpetrator, you can find a list of English-speaking lawyers in Cameroon.

If you are not resident in Cameroon, you can give your lawyer’s address as your local address.

12. Legal aid

In cases of rape, the State Prosecutor is responsible for the prosecution of the accused. Consequently, legal aid does not apply.

If you decide to open a civil case and hire a lawyer, legal fees are determined by the lawyer in question. Common practice is to charge for legal assistance at every stage of the proceedings.

Discuss with your lawyer whether they will charge for services before your case goes to court.

13. Sentencing

Sentencing in Cameroon tends to weigh in favour of punishing the perpetrator. Rape falls under sexual offenses in Cameroon and, therefore, an offender may be punished with imprisonment from between 5 years to 20 years.

If the alleged perpetrator is found not guilty, you can appeal.

14. Compensation

If found guilty, the court may order the offender to pay compensation to the victim because of a civil claim.

There is no state compensation scheme to cover for physical or psychological injuries suffered.

15. When you return home to the UK

You may want to let your GP or a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) know what has happened to you so that you can talk about the experience and seek further support and advice where you live.

England	NHS Choices website, or search the internet for ‘NHS SARC’	Rape and sexual assault referral centres
Scotland	Archway Glasgow phone 0141 211 8175
Wales	New Pathways - Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) phone 01685 379 310	Ynys Saff Sexual Assault Referral Centre - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Northern Ireland	The Rowan - Sexual Assault Referral Centre, phone 0800 389 4424

If you believe you may be at risk of having contracted a sexually transmitted infection (STI), you should ask your local health provider to test you. You should do this even if you have been tested in Cameroon.

16. Support organisations in Cameroon

It is your choice to let people know. If you are ready to talk about it, this organisation may be able to help you:

Cameroon Young Jurists Legal Resources, CYJULERC is an organisation that works on children rights, women’s human rights, legislation adoption, and advocacy.

Cameroon Young Jurists Legal Resources, CYJULERC
PO Box 431 Buea
Suit 9 Fakoship
SWR
Telephone numbers: (+237) 233-323-463, (+237) 677-642-730,
(+237) 677-685-594

Email: [email protected]

17. Disclaimer

HMG officials who are not legally or medically trained have prepared this information. It should therefore never be used as a substitute for professional medical or legal advice. It is intended to help British nationals overseas make their own informed decisions. Neither HMG nor any official of the Consulate accept liability for any loss or damage which you might suffer because of relying on the information supplied.

Medical information has been provided by The Havens Sexual Assault Referral Centres of Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and was accurate at the time of production (02/02/2022).