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Sexual violence

In France the law currently defines rape and sexual assault in the following way: "Constitue une agression sexuelle tout acte sexuel non consenti commis sur la personne d’autrui ou sur la personne de l’auteur". A sexual assault is any sexual act without consent committed against another person or the author's person.

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If you are a victim of sexual violence in Amiens or the Somme region, you can contact:

What to do if I'm a victim of sexual assault or rape Que faire si on est victime d’agression sexuelle ou de viol ?​

When the sexual assault or rape occurs, you can call:

  • 17: emergency police number
  • 112: European emergency number

After the fact, what to do​

If you feel the need to talk about it or find help, serveral things exist:

  • 3919 - Violences Femmes Info (Women's violence info): This is a free and anonymous hotline for women who are vistims of violence, those who are close to them and professionals.
  • 116006 - France Victimes (France victims): This is a free and anonymous hotline for victims of any kind. It is open 7 days a week.
  • 0800 05 95 95 - SOS Viol Femmes Informations (SOS Rape women's information): This is a free and anonymous hotline for women victims of sexual assault or rape. It is open Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 19:00.
  • les Centres d’Information sur les Droits des Femmes et des Familles (CIDFF) (Centres of information for women and families' rights): All over France, these centres are open, to listen and accompany you in your procedures (judicial, psycholgoical or social).
  • There is also an online platform to report by the State where you can report a sexual assault or rape. On this platform, you can discuss with a police officer. This is open 24/7.

Reccomendations for reports or observations​

In the hours following an assault, if you would like to report or have someone witness the facts, you can:

  • Do not wash yourself and keep the clothes you were wearing when it occured.
  • Go to a hospital (there are specialized departments for this type of situation), or go to a doctor. They can:
    • establish a medical certificat (important for judicial procedures);
    • prescribe emergency contraception, a preventative treatment against HIV and/or other STIs, as well as tests.

Make sure the medical certificate mentions the number of days of incapacity to work (Incapacité Totale de Travail, ITT), even if you don't work. This number is used to evaluate the severity and consequences on your daily life.