Q: I told my parents that I was raped by my teacher. They do not want me to open a case at the police station. Can I do it by myself?
A: You have the right to open the case on your own. Ask someone you trust to go with you.
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Q: The police didn’t believe me when I made my statement and they kept questioning me. I don’t think they wrote down what I told them.
A: The law says that the police must take down your statement as you give it to them. They are allowed to ask questions to get more information about the case but they are not allowed to scare you or tell you that they don’t believe you. Once the statement has been taken down the police must read it back to you. You should only sign it if everything you told them is in the statement. You can change the statement if you need to. ONLY sign the statement when you are sure that it says exactly what you want it to say.
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Q: Do I need a lawyer to help me open a case with the police?
A: Usually you will not need a lawyer to help you. But if the police refuse to open your case or refuse to give you reasons why the case has been closed then you should involve a lawyer to make sure that the investigation is conducted properly. (see the list of numbers to find a lawyer to speak to.)
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Q: My teacher raped me at school. Should I report it to the police?
A: Yes you should report it to the police so that they can investigate the case and find your abuser. You should go to the police as soon as possible after it has happened. Take someone you trust with you to support you.
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Q: I opened a case against my teacher and the police closed it without an explanation. I have given up on the case.
A: The police are not allowed to close the case. This is against the law. The only official who is allowed to close the case is the prosecutor. The prosecutor should phone to tell you that he or she is closing your case, and why. It is important not to give up on your case. The legal processes take time. It is important to be patient. You are allowed to ask for updates on the investigation.
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Q: I opened a case against my teacher three years after he raped me. The police say that the case cannot be investigated because I took so long to report it.
A: The police have to open a case even if the rape happened long ago. This is the law. It is against the law not to open a case. It does not matter how long you took to report the case. However, we recommend that you report the case to the police as soon as possible so they can collect strong evidence to help them find your abuser.