Guidance

Information for survivors of rape and sexual assault in Sierra Leone

Published 14 December 2022

If you’ve been sexually assaulted it’s important to remember that it was not your fault. Rape and sexual assault are 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.

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

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

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 emergency number on 112 or 999
• contact your tour operator if you are travelling with one
• contact the British High Commission in Freetown on +232 (0) 7678 0713. Embassy 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

If you want to report the incident to the police in Sierra Leone

If you have a tour operator, they should be able to arrange for someone to support you. If you are in an area where there is a British High Commission or consulate, 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 approach the police directly, you can also ask them to inform the British High Commission on +232 (0) 7678 0713 and they can offer you consular support.

There are Family Support Units (FSUs) established in all Police Stations nationwide in Sierra Leone, who are tasked with leading on all rape and sexual assault cases.

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 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.

Tell the police if you think you have been drugged.

Insist you get a police report.

Homosexuality is not a crime in Sierra Leone, as the Sexual Offences Act does not address it specifically, and the law does provide that anyone who sexually assaults a man or a woman can face criminal charges. However, there is a strong cultural bias against homosexuality, so it would be advisable in such cases to be accompanied by a trusted person when reporting such crimes to the police.

Excessive drinking and drug use are crimes in Sierra Leone. However, it is unlikely that a victim of rape or sexual assault who was drunk or has taken drugs voluntarily would be charged for that – the police will probably focus on the crime of rape or sexual assault.

There will be both male and female police officers available to speak to, and you can request an officer of a particular gender. As English is the national language of Sierra Leone, there will be no need to request an interpreter.

Investigations in Sierra Leone are not judge led. Instead, they are led by trained police officers.

Whilst at the police station, you will be offered psychological counselling and protection from the perpetrator(s).

You will not have to surrender your passport, but the police might ask to have a photocopy of the passport for identification and administrative purposes.

At the prosecution stage, a government lawyer also known as State Counsel will be specifically designated to prosecute your case on behalf of the state directly.

If you do not want to report the incident to the police in Sierra Leone

The British High Commission 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 lists of English-speaking medical facilities, lawyers and translators.

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. If you don’t report it, your case may not be investigated.

You will have to report the crime in-country, to a police Family Support Unit (FSU), for it to be investigated.

If you do not report the crime, you will be able to get medical attention but at your own cost, as there is no free medical treatment available for rape and sexual assault victims without a police endorsement medical report form.

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 many countries, 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 the country where the crime took place, you should report the crime in that country. If you are a British national and you need help to report the crime, you can contact the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate, or the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London.

If you do not report the crime in the country where it happened 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 the country where the crime happened. However, it is for foreign 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 the country where it happened. This might be necessary in order to protect vulnerable people, or to stop more crimes being committed.

Reporting the crime in Sierra Leone - what happens next?

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 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.

Tell the police if you think you have been drugged.

Insist you get a police report.

You will have to make a statement about the incident including a description of the attacker(s).

The police will have to keep any clothing or electronic equipment as evidence for prosecution. The police will accompany you to a local hospital for a forensic examination. These hospitals are easily accessible in all major cities across the country. You will be able to access free medical treatment and a free medical report.

The police will only inform the UK police if you request this and will only ask the UK police to undertake police checks on you if the investigation deems it proper to do so, and with your consent.

The medical examination – what to expect

All government hospitals, and accredited medical facilitators, treat victims of rape and sexual assault in Sierra Leone.

Hospitals will automatically report the results of any examination to the police. This will be via an endorsed medical form from a qualified medical practitioner, who may also be required to give evidence in the form of testimony of their observations during the examination.

A medical practitioner (doctor) will carry out the examination. This will entail a physical examination and observation of the victim. It may include swabs, blood and urine tests, examination of external injuries and testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Photographs may also be taken, and if so, it will be by a police officer. A member of medical staff will be present.

Medical examinations for male victims will normally be carried out by male doctors, and female doctors will examine female victims.

The British High Commission 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.

Treatment

Hospital medical staff can give advice on HIV PEP medication (‘Post-exposure prophylaxis’, a treatment that can prevent HIV infection). It is available in Sierra Leone through prescription.

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.

Emergency contraception is available in pharmacies throughout the country. It will be free if requested through a medical referral or can be purchased at any pharmacy.

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

Hospital treatment and tests are available for free to all victims of rape and sexual assault, if referred by the police.

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.

Police investigations in Sierra Leone – what to expect

The police may take you to the scene of the crime, or where you think the attacker is located to try to identify and arrest the person.

If a suspect is brought to the police station you will be asked to make an identification, via an identification parade. In Sierra Leone, this is done face to face (rather than behind mirrored glass, for example), which can be distressing.

If the police make an arrest, they will take the suspect before the public prosecutor to stand trial. This usually takes no more than 10 days.

You will be expected to go in front of the public prosecutor to make a statement. However, a lawyer can do this. The state provides lawyers for free for victims of sexual offences, on behalf of the Attorney General. Lawyers have access to the victim/case notes at this stage.

You will be allowed to leave the country once the case is filed, with the approval of the court.

Court procedures – what to expect

If a suspect is ordered to trial, you will be expected to testify in court. This could be at any stage and does not necessarily require you to be in-country. You would be able to testify from the UK through a video link.

The state handles all rape and sexual assault offences in Sierra Leone. It is a crime against the state and there is a special Division of the High Court to prosecute offenders. As such, there is no need to hire a lawyer privately. However, you can appoint the services of a private lawyer, if you wish, who can make a referral to the police and monitor the process until final judgement with no active participation in prosecuting the matter. The benefit of this could potentially be quicker access to updates on the progress of the case.

If the case is referred to further investigation, you will have to give an additional statement. This is called a Victim Impact Statement.

It is not possible to drop charges once they are filed, and there are serious legal repercussions if you do – you could face charges yourself. The charge of rape is an automatic state prosecution that will not be dropped.

The alleged assailant can press counter charges claiming false accusations, if they deem it fit to do so.

The courts can order the offender to pay compensation for any injuries or losses.

Trial procedures

You will know whether there is going to be a trial following the conclusion of the investigation. The police will inform you after the recommendation from the Attorney General’s office comes through. The trial will be conducted in English.

You will need to be present at every court session, but the law allows for video links to protect victims and witnesses where applicable, and with approval from the court.

If you have to travel from overseas to attend the court, the authorities in Sierra Leone will not assist with travel and accommodation arrangements.

It usually takes 10 days for a case to come to trial. Rape and sexual assault (RSA) trials usually take around three months. Based on the court and evidence before the court, RSA cases can be expedited, and sentencing is done relatively quickly.

The defendant then has the right to appeal, within the required three-month timeframe. The number of appeal hearings there can be depends on the case and the court.

Hiring a lawyer

There is no need to hire a private lawyer as the State will provide one from the Office of the Attorney General. As such, the only role a privately hired lawyer can perform is to guide the victim in navigating authorities to have access to justice and witnessing the proceedings on behalf of the State.

By virtue of the system in Sierra Leone, whereby lawyers are appointed cases by the Attorney General, there are lawyers who specialise in rape and sexual assault cases.

A list of English-speaking lawyers can be found here.

Communication

The police, your state-lawyer, and judge will communicate with you at each relevant stage (investigation, prosecution, and judgement).

If not resident in-country, alternative arrangements can be made. If you have a private lawyer, you should receive updates through this person.

Legal aid

You would be entitled to legal aid, if eligible. You can apply through a legal aid office, of which there are many located across the country.

Sentencing

Rape and sexual assault case sentences are weighted in favour of punishment rather than rehabilitation in Sierra Leone.

The ‘type’ of crime the perpetrator would be guilty of is a ‘crime against the person’.

Judges able to pass down sentences from one to 15 years, with the additional sentence of life imprisonment for convicts. Fines can also be imposed.

Compensation

The courts can order the offender to pay compensation for any injuries or losses, either after they have been convicted in a criminal court or as a result of civil action.

There is no state-funded compensation scheme to cover physical or psychological injuries suffered as a result of a sexual or violent crime.

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’
Scotland	Archway SARC phone 0141 211 8175
Wales	New Pathways SARC phone 01685 379 310	Ynys Saff Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Northern Ireland	Rowan SARC Northern Ireland 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 Sierra Leone.

Read our advice on returning to the UK after rape and sexual assault abroad.

Support organisations in Sierra Leone

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

Rainbow Initiative SL - provides free quality medical treatment and psychological support to survivors of gender-based violence in Sierra Leone.  They have six Rainbow Centres (sexual assault referral centres) across the country where they provide free confidential services to survivors.

• Address: 4 Williams Drive SS Camp, IMMAT, Freetown-Sierra Leone
• Telephone number: +232 76 900 611 / +232 31 900 611
• Hours of contact and language of service: 08:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday (English and Krio language are spoken)

Disclaimer

This information has been prepared by HMG officials who are not legally or medically trained. 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 as a result of relying on the information supplied.