Sexual Assault

Although most visits abroad are trouble-free, Canadian travellers are sometimes victims of sexual assault. Sexual assault can happen to people of any age, gender, or background. It is a traumatic experience whenever and wherever it happens, but it can often be even more difficult to deal with when it happens abroad.

ON THIS PAGE
	Precautions
	Who to Contact
	What to Do if You’ve Been Assaulted
	Predatory Drugs
	Arrest of the Attacker
	Surviving the Trauma

Precautions

To help prevent an assault, you should use any means necessary to draw attention to the situation.

If you sense you are being followed, immediately cross to the opposite side of the street and head for the nearest open business or occupied dwelling.
Don’t leave your beverage unattended or accept a drink from an open container.
When you go to a party, go with a group of friends. Arrive together, watch out for one another, and leave together.
Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Never open the door to strangers.
Don’t allow yourself to be isolated with someone you don’t know or trust.

Who to Contact

If you have been sexually assaulted, contact the nearest medical and police authorities immediately. Contact the police if you have simply been threatened with violence. Local emergency contact numbers can be found in the Country Travel Reports. At the same time, you should also report the matter to the
nearest Canadian government office abroad and/or contact the Emergency Operations Centre in Ottawa.

For calls originating in Canada and the U.S., call 1 800 267-6788 or (613) 944-6788.
Canadian citizens outside Canada can call collect to (613) 996-8885.
Some countries also have toll-free lines to contact the Operations Centre in Ottawa.

What to Do if You’ve Been Assaulted

Contact the police as soon as possible and ensure that a police report is completed. If necessary, a Canadian official from the nearest Canadian government office abroad can assist you with this process.
If you are unable to meet with the police immediately, record all details to jog your memory later on. If possible, have photographs taken of your injuries.
Preserve evidence of the attack: don’t bathe or brush your teeth. Write down all the details you can recall about the attack and the attacker.
Get medical attention. Even with no physical injuries, it is important to determine the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. If the assault was violent, do not just assume that you are physically all right; seek confirmation from a professional.
Make arrangements to contact family and friends back home to reassure them as to your well- being, especially if you have missed a regular contact with them due to the assault.

Predatory Drugs

“Predatory drugs” or “date-rape drugs” are terms used to describe drugs that can be used to facilitate sexual assault. In the late 1990s, law enforcement noticed a new, disturbing trend of rape cases that involved the drugging of victims with chemicals such GHB, Ketamine, and Rohypnol. You have possibly been drugged if you feel more intoxicated than usual for the amount of alcohol you drank, or if you wake up and can’t remember where you are and what has happened over the last few hours, etc. Effects can last up to 24 hours. Users can be incapacitated and unable to resist sexual assault. Excessive use could lead to seizures and even collapse. When mixed with other drugs, including alcohol, overdose can occur quickly and be fatal. For further information, please consult our publication Drugs and Travel: Why They Don’t Mix.

Arrest of the Attacker

If someone is arrested for the assault, you will be required to testify and attend future legal proceedings. As in Canada, legal proceedings may be prolonged.

Surviving the Trauma

Such events can be traumatic. You should make arrangements to talk to family and friends, or to a professional, about the incident.

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