Talking about Raped abroad

Support has been shown for the teenager who reported rape

Is this HOW WE TREAT

VICTIMS?

Raped, blamed, and failed by authorities

Stumbling from court, covering her face beneath a scarf with a mask showing a drawn-on pair of stitched-shut lips, this young woman’s message was clear. In the last six months, she’d been stripped of her dignity, freedom and basic human rights, and eff ectively silenced. Yet, despite their best eff orts, not even a judge and the full force of the Cypriot police service could take her voice. ‘The fi ght will go on to clear my name,’ she vowed, clutching her mother’s arm as she headed home to the UK. Supporters held signs and chanted ‘we believe you’, echoing the uproar felt by many that an injustice had played out on the international stage. The unnamed teenager had been enjoying a working holiday in Ayia Napa before starting university when she reported being gang-raped by a group of Israeli men in July 2019. Initially, police arrested 12 suspects, before turning on the then-18-year-old, accusing her of lying, quizzing her for hours without a lawyer, and pressuring her to sign a statement recanting all allegations. While the men were released without charge, she spent fi ve weeks in jail, Georgina Mortimer, 49, is a doctor who lives in Hertfordshire with her two daughters, aged 19 and 17. Waking up in the pitch black at 3am, I felt the weight of a man on top of me, his hand around my throat, pinning me to the bed as he raped me. Yet, while the terror was overwhelming, I also felt utter disbelief that this was happening. I’d only arrived at the shared villa in St Lucia 30 hours earlier, in February 2016. It was supposed to be a dream Caribbean holiday, where I’d learn to ail. That evening, I’d njoyed myself at a reet carnival before etting a taxi back, nd now here I was, ardly able to breathe nd sure I was about be murdered. I was nly saved when a an, who’d heard me accused of making false allegations until being released on house arrest. Following a trial, where prosecutors hounded her for six hours, dismissing bruises she attributed to being pinned down as ‘jellyfi sh stings’, she was convicted of ‘public mischief’ and handed a fourmonth suspended sentence.

Her supporters and women’s rights advocates screamed about corruption and misogyny towards sex-assault victims in some foreign, perhaps less progressive, countries. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said he had ‘very serious concerns’ about her treatment, while UK police promised to treat her as a victim, off ering family-liaison and victimsupport services on her return.

Yet, the Cypriot authorities aren’t without their supporters, and some trolls have even abused the teenager online. The fallout of this case is huge, and with more women now coming forward with similar stories of victim-blaming, oppression and contemptible treatment by authorities abroad, Woman investigates the repercussions and lessons that could be learned... ‘POLICE DIDN’T EVEN TRY’ UK police promised to treat the woman as a victim

Talking About

‘RAPE HAS A DEVASTATING LEGACY’

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ychologist Eva ea, author of Willow Ashwood: he Girl Who anced with ragons – a novel bout relationship trauma says: ‘Rape can have a long-term impact on a victim’s life. It aff ects the deep, primitive part of the emotional brain and, consequently, a victim’s life becomes organised around lack of safety.

Any rape can have a devastating legacy, even more so when a teenager is raped by a gang. Part of the trauma response is that victims might feel it didn’t happen or wasn’t real. When a victim is also faced with a hostile response, this might further reinforce the “unreality” of their predicament. It’s possible the teenager retracted her allegations to survive the horror of gang rape.

There’s a risk this case might prevent other victims of rape from coming forward. I would commend the courage of the teenager in her fi ght for justice, however, she’ll need a lot of support.’

At least 315 Brits reported being raped abroad in 2018, according to Foreign Offi ce fi gures

gasping for air, opened my bedroom

‘MORTIMER’ IS NOT HER REAL SURNAME. WORDS: EMMA ROSSITER. PHOTOS: THE SUN/NEWS LICENSING, GETTY door, causing my attacker to fl ee.

The police were called and I was taken to hospital, where doctors carried out a forensic examination and my pyjamas kept as evidence. But that’s when any real help stopped. I was then taken back to the villa to give a statement, bizarrely in the presence of the offi cer’s four-yearold daughter. It was too raw and fresh, so as I stood shaking, I gave offi cers as much information as I could.

Losing hope They told me they’d investigate but I got the impression it wasn’t a priority. In shock, I tried to continue with the holiday but was too traumatised, so contacted the British High Commission, who got me on a fl ight home.

However, despite being thousands of miles from where I was attacked, nowhere felt safe. In June 2016, I was told police had still not processed my medical samples because there was no lab on the island. When I pushed, they said there was no point until they had DNA from a suspect, too. I did research and found there were lots of unsolved crimes in St Lucia. ‘They’ll never catch him,’ I realised. Now, when I see cases like the poor girl in Ayia Napa, it brings the trauma back. The police treated her appallingly, and after my experience with authorities abroad, I believe her and I think she’s so brave to have reported it in the fi rst place. I’m worried, too – it’s hard enough to report a sexual assault, and this will scare more victims into staying silent. Now I’ll never go back to the Caribbean – and when I go abroad, I don’t venture anywhere too far afi eld, and certainly not alone. Accepting my attacker got away with it doesn’t make it easier, it upsets me deeply, and more needs to be done to help victims like us who’ve been denied the justice they deserve.

VICTIMS ABROAD If you’ve been the victim of a rape or sexual assault overseas, The British Embassy will help you: ✱ arrange for someone to accompany you to a local police station ✱ arrange a medical examination or fi nd an English-speaking doctor ✱ get advice on sexually transmitted infections, abortion and pregnancy, according to local laws and customs ✱ get advice, professional help or counselling – both abroad and in the UK. However, reporting a crime abroad can be tricky. There can be language barriers and diff erent laws, and in some countries, being the victim of rape or sexual assault could even be considered illegal . But the Foreign and Commonwealth Offi ce (FCO) can off er advice anrrrrrd support. UK police don’t have jurisdiction to investigate an attack that has taken place abroad. However, once you return to the UK, police and the FCO can help with any support you may need. One company that aims to bridge the gap is Justice Abroad Ltd.

Co-founder David Walters says, ‘It can be hard to get support abroad due to diff erences in culture, language, accessibility, cost and the foreign judicial system. We support victims by advising them on foreign systems and the work of the Foreign Offi ce. We aim to empower and support them in taking their case forward to achieve justice and the best possible outcome.’ ✱ For support, visit rapecrisis.org.uk. For legal help, visit justiceabroad.co.uk