Guidance

Laos: information for victims of rape and sexual assault

Published 12 January 2023

If you’ve 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.

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 your tour operator if you are traveling with one
• contact the British Embassy Vientiane on (0)30 770 0000 (available 24 hours). 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. You can also contact us online

If you wish to speak with an experienced support worker, you can speak in confidence to: Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis Live Online Support. Live Online Support is an online service that gives British survivors of sexual violence access to UK-based real time support from anywhere in the world.

The local authorities rarely speak fluent English, are difficult to contact and have limited experience in dealing directly with foreigners. You may find it useful to speak to us before attempting to contact them.

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

Before you go to the police station

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

In Laos, rape is catergorised as a major offence and crime.^{[footnote 1]} You may take up to 7 years from the date when the offence occurred to decide if you want to lodge a formal complaint against those responsible.^{[footnote 2]} Regardless of whether you choose to pursue charges immediately, the Lao Police deem rape as a crime, which causes public danger, and do not need your consent to charge and investigate your attacker.^{[footnote 3]}

If you choose to report the crime, and despite the above time limit, try to do so as soon as possible, so evidence can be retained. Washing yourself or your clothes may make it difficult for the police to obtain evidence.

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

At the police station

You will need to make a statement giving all details of the incident and may be asked to repeat it several times. Few Lao police officers have had specialised training, so expect questions which you may think irrelevant or insensitive, eg.: have you been drinking, did you invite the person to your room, etc. The officers may lack empathy and there may be little privacy and information about the process.

Tell the police if you think you have been drugged. If you want the crime to be investigated, you will need to report it in Laos and undergo a medical examination at the direction of the police.

The treatment of rape in Laos is not the same as in the UK. According to the Penal Code of Lao PDR, only women can be raped. Rape is when any person who uses force, armed threats, chloroform or any other substance or means to place a person in a state of helplessness or abuses an opportunity in order to have sexual intercourse with a woman against her will.^{[footnote 4]} Sexual intercourse is the use of each other’s sexual organs or the use of one sexual organ with another’s bodily organs.^{[footnote 5]} These definitions guide the police in their investigatory roles, and you should expect them to ask questions based on these definitions.

Police officers receive no special training for handling rape and sexual assault cases, and you are likely to experience a lack of professionalism when reporting an incident. The British Embassy is aware that some victims have found the process of reporting the assault difficult, and different from what they would expect of UK police proceedings.

We will support you where we can. We will do our best to provide Embassy and/or Consular staff to accompany you, if you would like us to. If you are a long way from the Embassy and we cannot get to you, we will try to liaise with local police via telephone.

You may also want to ask a friend or someone you trust to go to the police station with you. The police may not speak English so, if possible, take a Lao speaker with you. The reporting procedure is likely to be time consuming.

If you need an interpreter, the police may provide one (either an English-speaking police officer or a professional interpreter). There is no guarantee of the quality of the interpreter. You will make your statement in English and it will be translated into Lao by the translator.

Make sure you get a copy of the police report, request a translation in English if possible. If you are asked to sign documents, make sure you understand and agree with the content. Let us know if you have any difficulties and we will speak with the police.

If you approach the police directly, ask them to contact the British Embassy in Vientiane on 030 770 0000 so that we can facilitate and support you. If you are in an area where we can reach you, we will try to send a Consular officer to support you.

You will normally be asked to make your initial report at the police station closest to where the incident took place. The police officer at this police station will file your report and it is likely they will later transfer your case to another office. When reporting the incident to the police you can ask for a female or male officer, although there may not always be female officers available.

After making a statement

After you have given your statement, the police should take you to the nearest medical facility for treatment. Evidence collection is likely to be basic,

The police may require you to identify the scene where the attack happened by going back there. If they detain someone, they may ask you to identify them. Depending on the location, we will try to come with you if you wish, and if the police allow us to.

If you do not wish to report the incident to the police in Laos

The British Embassy will be able to support you. This includes:

• helping you to contact your insurance company and your family
• accompanying you to the local hospital/medical facility, where possible
• sharing information on traveling back to the UK
• providing you with information on local support available in the UK
• providing you with lists of medical facilities, lawyers and translators

If you are travelling with a tour operator, you can report the incident to them and ask for their assistance. Where possible and if you wish, the tour operator may accompany you to the local hospital.

Medical examination: what to expect

Where to go

Your safety and health are important. Even if you decide not to report what has happened to the police, you should see a doctor. They can check if you have been injured in any way and advise you about emergency contraception and sexually transmitted infections.

Public hospitals and medical centres will treat visible injuries. Private clinics or hospitals provide more comprehensive medical support.

All medical facilities may report the incident or results to the police, although any forensic evidence collection will be limited and is likely to be poor quality. Police are likely need to be present if evidence is to be collected.

Laos is a high-risk country for sexually transmitted diseases due to the poor quality of sex education. View the list of medical facilities in Laos for a medical provider close to you. Note that doctors at public hospitals may not speak English. We will do our best to provide Embassy and/or Consular staff to accompany you, if you want this and it’s practically possible.

Try not to wash or change your clothes immediately after a sexual assault. This may destroy evidence that could be important if you decide to report the assault to the police.

You can get medical help at public hospitals, private clinics or hospitals.

Treatment

A private hospital or clinic is more likely to offer a more familiar environment, and may be able to provide HIV Post- Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) medication along with emergency contraception.

If you think you may have been exposed to the HIV virus, you should go to a hospital/clinic urgently for advice, sexually-transmitted disease (STD) check-up and if needed, PEP treatment. More information on PEP is available from the NHS guidance on HIV and AIDS treatment.

HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) medication

This consists of 28 days of treatment that may reduce your risk of contracting HIV. You can continue the treatment with the NHS on your return to the UK. You must start treatment within 72 hours of the assault for it to be effective. The treatment may not be beneficial in all cases and there may be side effects.

You will need to pay for treatment and tests at both public, private hospitals and clinics. We cannot assist you with money to cover any of these costs. But we can help you reach out to family or friends for their financial support at this time.

Emergency contraception (morning after pill)

Emergency contraception must be taken within 72 hours (3 days) of the incident for it to be effective. In Laos emergency contraception is sold over the counter at many pharmacies.

We suggest that you read the documentation carefully and seek medical guidance. You must take the right dose at the right frequency for it to work properly.

If you have any medication administered in Laos, keep the label or make a note of the name of the medication, so that you can let your local health provider know when you return home.

Lao language text and phonetic word sounding to ask for emergency contraception:

ຂ້ ອຍຖື ກຂົ່ ມຂື ນມາ ຂ້ ອຍຕ້ ອງການມາກວດ ແລະ ກິ ນຢາ

ເພົ່ື ອປ້ ອງກັ ນການຖື ພາ, ພະຍາດຕິ ດຕົ່ໍ ທາງເພດສໍ າພັ ນ, ແລະ ພະຍາດເອດສ.

Khoi theuk kom keun ma khoi tong kan ma kuad lae kin ya peur pong kun kan thue pha, pa yard tid tor tang pead sum pun, lae pa yard aid.

Insurance

If you received medical treatment abroad, your travel insurance may cover you for personal injuries from the crime and belongings you lost when assaulted. It is likely that for the claim to be valid, you must report the crime to police in the country where the assault took place. Check your policy or contact your insurance provider for details. Your policy may cover other costs incurred as a victim of crime, including legal fees.

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.

When you return home to the UK

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

You may want to let your GP, or a Sexual Assault Referral Centre 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.

For more information, read our advice on returning to the UK after rape and sexual assault abroad.

There are many Rape Crisis Centres throughout the UK that can help provide support and advice if you have suffered from a sexual assault overseas.

Region	Organisation
England	NHS Choices website, or search the internet for ‘NHS SARC’.
	Rape Crisis England and Wales; Freephone: 0808 802 9999 (12 - 3.30pm and 7 - 9.30pm); Email:info@rapecrisis.org.uk; Website: https://www.rapecrisis.org.uk/
Scotland	Archway SARC; Phone: 0141 211 8175
	Rape Crisis Scotland; Freephone: 08088 01 03 02 (6pm - 12 midnight); Email: support@rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
Wales	New Pathways SARC; Phone: 01685 379 310
	Ynys Saff Sexual Assault Referral Centre - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Northern Ireland	Rowan SARC; Phone: 0800 389 4424

Alternatively, you can call these umbrella organisations’ national helplines. They also provide support and information to family and friends of sexual violence survivors.

Survivors UK supports and provides resources for men who have experienced any form of sexual violence.

Whatsapp: 07491 816064
Tel: 0203 5983898
Email: mailto:info@survivorsuk.org

Samaritans offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way, about whatever’s getting to you.

Tel: 116 123
Email: mailto:jo@samaritans.org

Getting further help in Laos

There are no support organisations in Laos available to foreigners, however, British nationals can use the Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis Centre Live Online Support a service that gives survivors of sexual violence access to UK-based real time support from anywhere in the world, via Skype, FaceTime, Instant Messenger and email. More information including the live online support is available on their website.

Disclaimer

This information has been prepared by UK government 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 UK government officials 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).

1. Article 13, Penal Code. ↩

2. Article 31, Penal Code. ↩

3. Article 41, Penal Code. ↩

4. Article 248, Penal Code. ↩

5. Article 3.8, Penal Code. ↩