Guidance

Oman: information for victims of rape and sexual assault abroad

Published 2 July 2021

© Crown copyright 2021

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oman-information-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault-abroad/oman-information-for-victims-of-rape-and-sexual-assault-abroad

Disclaimer

This information is provided to help British nationals overseas make decisions about whether and how to seek medical advice and attention; report to local police; and engage with foreign legal authorities following a rape or other form of sexual assault overseas.

This information is provided by the British Government for the convenience of enquirers, but neither His Majesty’s Government 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. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or legal advice.

Medical information has been provided by The Havens Sexual Assault Referral Centres of Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Rowan SARC NI and was accurate at the time of production.

For information on support available in the UK, see rape and sexual assault: returning to the UK guide.

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:

  • f you are in immediate danger and unsafe at the moment, contact the local police on 9999. If you are unsure about doing this, please call the Embassy
  • contact your tour operator if you are travelling with one
  • contact your nearest British Embassy. Embassy staff will be polite, patient, sensitive 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. To contact the British Embassy Muscat, dial 968 24609000 and select option 2
  • seek legal advice from a local lawyer

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

The British embassy or consulate will be able to help you. This includes helping you make arrangements to contact your family, your insurance company, 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.

Should you wish to seek medical attention, the Embassy can provide advice on this.

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

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

UK police do not have jurisdiction to investigate an attack that has taken place abroad and cannot direct an alleged crime be investigated. Foreign police forces are under no obligation to open a case. Please see Rape and Sexual Assault: Returning to the UK for more information about protection in the UK.

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

In order for the crime to investigated, it does need to be reported in Oman. Oman law is different to UK law and the procedure surrounding the reporting of rape differs. For this reason, we suggest that you obtain advice from the Embassy and engage a local lawyer to ensure you are aware of the legal process. Like in the UK, each case will be treated differently (depending on the circumstances) and so you may feel more comfortable having this advice before you report the incident to the police.

If you choose to report the crime, it is our understanding that the time taken to do so can have an impact on the outcome of the case and it is important that you keep as much evidence as possible. The reason for this is so forensic evidence can be retained. Washing yourself or your clothes may make it difficult for the police to obtain forensic evidence. If have already changed 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.

There is no guarantee that there will be specially trained officers to deal with victims of rape or sexual assault and not every police station will have female officers. Equally, the level of English spoken and understood might not be to a fluent level. If possible, take someone with you who speaks Arabic.

A representative from Consular Services, may be able to accompany you to the police station for support should you choose to report the crime, however, they will not be able to intervene in the investigation process. Please bear in mind there is no guarantee that consular staff available will be able to translate for you and any translation done will be on the understanding it is on an informal basis. If you have a tour operator or are resident and have a sponsor, they may be able to arrange for someone to support you.

If a case is opened, try to obtain the case number from the police. If you’re not able to do so the Embassy can help you with this. Any documents you receive are likely to be in Arabic.

Reporting the crime in Oman - what happens next?

If you choose to report the case in Oman, you will be expected to provide a full statement, giving details about where, when, who, the amount of force, any witnesses etc. You may also be asked to leave any clothing that you were wearing at the time of the attack for further forensic testing. You will also be asked to have a physical examination and have a blood test taken. These results with be shared with the local police. You may also be asked to share your electronic items with the local police.

Please also note that the attacker and the victim may be in the same room during the investigation and the victim’s identity may not be kept confidential.

The medical examination – what to expect

All local hospitals in Oman will treat a patient with medical needs, however we believe it is only the Royal Oman Police hospital that offer the forensic reports. A medical professional will carry out any medical examinations. It is up to the information the local authorities want depending on what will be checked. Photographs may be taken to be used as evidence. We can support the victim and give options to allow them to make a decision. We can sometimes accompany the victim to the hospital if the police allow us to do so.

Treatment

If you are a tourist, you may be liable to pay for all treatment costs directly, unless you have travel insurance (you may wish to check whether this would be covered). If you are a resident, you may wish to check if any tests or treatment will be covered under your insurance.

If you have had medication administered overseas, you may wish to keep the label or make a note of the name of the medication, so that you can let your local health provider know if you return to the UK.

Please note that there is no emergency contraception available in Oman.

Police investigations in Oman – what to expect

Although cases in the Oman can be complex, here are a few points to expect:

  • as part of their investigation, the police may take the victim to the scene of the crime, either to demonstrate what happened or to try and identify and arrest the person
  • where an arrest is made, it is usual for the alleged attacker to be taken before the Public Prosecutors office within 24 hours of their arrest
  • it is our understanding victims will have to go in front of the Public Prosecution to make a statement. If appointed, a lawyer will have access to the case notes and will be able to attend the Public Prosecution Office with the victim. There is a list of lawyers at the end of this document. The Embassy is not automatically provided information on any criminal cases, however, we can ask on behalf of the victims in certain cases. Most of the times, the information provided is limited
  • whether a victim will be permitted to leave the country, will very much depend on the progress of the case. Generally, if a local lawyer has been provided a power of attorney, the victim can leave Oman. If the victim has left Oman, they may be asked to return to provide oral evidence during the court proceedings

Court procedures – what to expect

  • as previously mentioned, cases can be treated differently in Oman therefore it is difficult to give a timescale on how long it will take for a case to be closed. The Public Prosecution may request for information or for further investigations to be made which will increase the duration. This can occur multiple times in a case
  • victims may be called to give more evidence during the court proceedings. It is unusual for a case to be heard in closed court, or for evidence to be given from behind screens or via video link. A lawyer would be able to easily keep up to date with the progress of the case and any actions that are required from the victim
  • once a case has gone to court it can be difficult for the case to be dropped by either the victim or the alleged attacker. The outcome of the case will be decided by the court
  • if the alleged attacker is found guilty, likely sentences include prison, fine or deportation, they may be combined or applied independently

Points to consider if you return to the UK

  • 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
  • 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
  • if you do have a case opened in Oman, the local police would not inform the UK police of this

Support organisations

We can provide you a list of Counsellors in Oman should you feel that this may help.

The following are all links to organisations in the UK who are able to provide support and guidance for you and your family, in addition to your local UK based Rape Crisis Centre:

List of lawyers

If you wish to have some legal advice, there is a list of lawyers on our website below. Some of these law firms offer initial pro-bono advice. Please speak to the Embassy if you need help on where to start.

See our list of lawyers.

Back to top