Guidance

Estonia: information for victims of rape and sexual assault

Updated 6 March 2024

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 international emergency number on 112
• contact your tour operator if you are travelling with one
• contact the British embassy in Tallinn. 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. We can also provide you with a list of local lawyers and interpreters

If you want to report the incident to the police in Estonia

The crime has to be reported to the police or prosecutor`s office in order for them to be investigated. You do not run any risks by reporting what happened to the Estonian local police. Extramarital sex or homosexuality is not considered as a crime in Estonia, neither is alcohol consumption.

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 embassy, 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 embassy in Tallinn on +372 6674700 and they can offer you consular support.

To report the incident to police you can call 112 or go to the nearest police station or prosecutor`s office.

You can file a police report online if you have either Estonian ID-card, Estonian Mobile ID or Estonian Smart ID. Read information on submitting police report online.

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.

If you change your clothes, think about taking those you were wearing to the police. You may also wish to preserve other evidence, such as condoms and toothbrushes. Keep them in paper bags, not plastic. Tell the police if you think you have been drugged.

There will usually be male and female police officers available. Depending on where the incident took place, the first statements may be taken by a non-specialised officer. Most of Estonian local government officials speak English, but you may need a translator, especially in rural areas. You have the right to request the assistance of an interpreter in case the police officer does not speak your language.

When reporting to the police, the types of questions that will be asked include: the identity of the assailant; a description; where and when the incident happened; what happened; the circumstances and if there were any witnesses. Tell the police if you think you have been drugged.

It is helpful for the police if the statement contains the description of the attacker, description or the address of the location, description of what and all the facts and details you can remember. If the attacker was using a car, you will be asked about the colour, type, number or any other details about the vehicle.

You will be asked to read your statement, or the interpreter will read it to you, to check that the information is correct and then you will have to sign it. The report should not include any false information, giving a false information in report or in your statements is a crime. Once you have filed a report, you are required to appear to give a statement when summoned by the police. During investigation you don`t have a right to insist to give you a copy of your statements, it can be given to you by permission of prosecutor.

The police may keep any clothes you were wearing and hand them to a forensic examiner to be used as evidence in court. They may also take you to the scene of the crime or where you think the attacker may be located.

The police will send you to the local hospital for a forensic examination if you haven’t done so already and if the attack happened less than 48 hours ago. If the attack was reported a long time after it happened, the police will not send you to the hospital for examination. The hospitals are easily accessible in Estonia and are available in all major cities.

You will not get a lawyer appointed automatically to represent you. We strongly recommend that you appoint a lawyer, should you wish to proceed with filing the report. Access a list of English-speaking lawyers.

If you do not want to report the incident to the police in Estonia

It’s your choice on whether to report the crime. If you don’t report it, your case will not be investigated. Regardless of whether or not you report the crime, you will still be able to get medical treatment. You should go to the nearest hospital, a local doctor, gynaecologist or health centre.

You can ask for forensic evidence to be taken even if you do not wish to report the crime immediately. It’s important that this is done within 72 hours.

The British embassy 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
• 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.

It’s possible to report the crime to police in the UK but it’s for the Estonian police to decide whether to investigate. UK police forces cannot investigate crimes committed overseas. The Estonian police can request assistance from the UK police, but this can be a very lengthy process and there is no guarantee of a positive outcome to enquiries.

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

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

The medical examination – what to expect

All hospitals in Estonia treat both male and female victims of rape and sexual assault. Go to the nearest hospital emergency department or gynaecologist as soon as possible.

On arrival at an accident and emergency department, you will be immediately assessed by a nurse and given a ‘triage code”. Waiting time is determined by the colour of the code you are allocated but the average waiting time to be seen by a doctor under these circumstances should be very short.

The hospitals that treat the victims of sexual assault as a priority are West-Tallinn Central Hospital in Tallinn, Pärnu Hospital, Tartu University Clinic, Ida-Viru Central Hospital (see contacts of these hospitals).

If you wish, and depending on location and timing, a member of consular staff may be able to accompany you to the local hospital. If you wish, the tour operator may accompany you to the local hospital.

The hospitals are not obliged to report the incident nor the results of the examination to the local police. If you want the incident to be investigated, you have to report it to the police yourself.

A gynaecologist or emergency doctor on call carries out the examination. There are both male and female gynaecologists available. Most of the Estonian doctors speak English, but you may need a translator, especially in rural areas.

The examination entails:

• checking and documenting all the possible injuries. Photographs may be taken if necessary
• collecting and retaining all forensic evidence (sperm, blood and urine samples, underwear)
• testing against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases
• offering help to find you a secure place to stay if necessary, including overnight stays
• asking you to return for check-ups and aftercare
• supporting you in turning to police if necessary

Treatment

Hospital medical staff can give you advice on ’Post-exposure prophylaxis’, a treatment that can prevent HIV infection. Medical staff at the hospital will be able to prescribe the medication if required. More information on risks is available on the NHS website.

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 - ‘Erakorraline rasestumisvastane vahend’ - can be bought from any local chemist (‘Apteek’) without a prescription or given to you at the hospital as part of the emergency treatment.

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

Your GHIC/EHIC card or travel insurance can cover the hospital treatment and tests.

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 Estonia – what to expect

After you have reported the incident, the local police will give you information what to do next - if and when to come and give additional statements, information could be asked about possible witnesses, etc. If necessary, they will also inform you about the means of local victim support and other facilities available. The police will ask you if you would like to submit a civil suit for compensation.

See information on rights of victim in Estonia at Estonian government e-portal.

Based on the statements and the evidence collected the police and the prosecutor’s office will decide within 10 working days if a formal investigation is going to be held.

During the process of the formal investigation:

• you will have to give an additional statement to the police, both parties will be interviewed and additional evidence collected
• normally you won’t be taken back to the scene of the crime, but it could happen if you don’t know the address of it
• in most cases the attacker is known to the victim and there is no need to identify him/her. If you do not know who the attacker was, there may be a need to identify him or her by using pictures provided by the police
• the police will try to keep the attacker and the victim separate throughout the whole investigation but in very rare cases it may be necessary to put them face to face with each other
• If you do not want to appoint a lawyer, you can ask information about your case from the investigating police officer or from the contact person in the local police at any time. You can receive the contact details of the police officers who are handling your case from the Police and Border Guard general information line +372 612 3000, or from Estonian Police or the Estonian Prosecutor’s Office. You may not be given full details in the interest of the investigation. The police will not automatically send you regular updates of the investigation. You will only be notified of the most important details like closing of the case, court dates and other court order information.

Court procedures – what to expect

If there is enough evidence, the prosecutor’s office (which prosecutor`s office depends from the location where the crime was committed) will send them to court.

If a suspect is ordered to trial and has to appear in front of the public court you will be obliged to testify in court. The court session can be declared closed to protect a victim`s private life. You may be asked to return to Estonia to give your statements, but in that case you have the right to claim back some of the expenses from Estonian government. Whether or not you are able to testify from the UK via video link will depend on the court.

A lawyer cannot give statements on behalf of you. During the court procedures, a lawyer is not mandatory for you, but you may want to hire one for extra support, for better understanding of the legal procedures in Estonia, appealing if necessary and getting other relevant information if applicable. See the list of English-speaking lawyers in Estonia and the European E-Justice portal lawyers search tool.

If the case is referred to further investigation you may be asked to give an additional statement.

It is not up to victim to drop charges once they are filed, even if you wish to do so, the prosecutor`s office will decide either to send the case in court or not. There are legal repercussions if the victim has given false accusations or forged evidence.

The alleged assailant can press counter charges claiming false accusations.

The length of time it takes for a final sentence to be passed in a rape or sexual assault case depends on a number of factors.

The sentence for a convicted adult perpetrator is imprisonment. Imprisonment may be imposed with probation.

After the sentence has been passed, the defendant has the right to at least one appeal. The victim also has a right for appeal.

Legal aid

There are some options of free legal assistance ( “ õigusabi“ ) in Estonia. More information on who can provide free legal aid, where to apply and what free legal aid is covered on the Estonian government e-portal.

Compensation

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

There is a state-funded compensation scheme Victim support (‘Ovriabi’ in Estonian) to cover physical or psychological injuries suffered as a result of a violent crime, which may apply to British nationals as well if the crime happened in Estonia. Read more information aboutthe scheme and find further victim support organisations.

Communication

You can approach the investigator or prosecutor’s office for information on your case at any time. If you are not resident in Estonia you can provide your home address in the country where you are resident as your contact address.

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.

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 the country that the assault took place in.

Support organisations in the UK

England	NHS Choices or search the internet for ‘NHS SARC’
Scotland	Archway SARC +44 (0)141 211 8175
Wales	New Pathways SARC +44 (0)1685 379 310 Ynys Saff Sexual Assault Referral Centre - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Northern Ireland	Rowan SARC Northern Ireland 0800 389 4424

Support organisations in Estonia

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

Victims Support Helpline and Service

• Victim Support Crisis Helpline 24/7 Phone +372 614 7393 (from abroad) 116 006 (from Estonia) Each region has its own department. Please see contact by county (including email and phone number) on the victim support pages of the Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs website National Victims Support Service provides prompt assistance to people who have fallen victim to an offence, negligence, or mistreatment or experienced physical, psychological, economic, or sexual violence. The service is free of charge to callers and available 24 hours a day. Helpline callers have the option to remain anonymous. Assistance is provided in English as well.

Emotional Support NGOs

NGO Peaasi - provide mental health support and counselling

NGO Eluliin Support Centre 24/7 Phone +372 5515491 provide emotional support; psychological crisis help; support for victims in trafficking and victims of sexual exploitation

Woman’s support centres across Estonia

You can seek emotional support, information how to get help, a safe place where to go to, support where to turn to and how to fill in all the necessary documents. The services in the women’s support centre across the country are open to the victims as well as their families no matter their nationality.

Tallinn Women’s Crisis centre

• 24/7 Phone +372 53969834 +372 5264697
• email tallinn@naisteabi.ee
• provide free of charge emergency shelter accommodation for victims and emotional crisis support

Estonian Association of Women’s Shelters/Women’s helpline

• 24/7 Phone 1492 (dialling from Estonia)
• email: info@naisteliin.ee

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.

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).