LGBTIQ+
The Sexual Assault Center is here for you!
Anyone can become a victim of sexual violence (online or offline), regardless of age, gender identity or sexual preference. The Sexual Assault Center also welcomes members of the lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer communities!
We offer professional help to anyone who has recently had a non-consensual sexual experience. If you have had a traumatic sexual experience (online or offline) and need help or advice, call 0800-0188. This number is only accessible if you have a Dutch provider. If not, you can chat with one of our care professionals by clicking the button below.
Seek help after sexual assault
It can be especially difficult for members of the LGBTIQ+ community to seek help after experiencing sexual violence. Perhaps:
- you’re afraid you won’t be believed
- you think it's your fault
- you’re afraid of the police or immigration service
- you're not sure whether someone has actually ‘crossed the line’ with you
- you’re hesitating because you have a hazy memory of the event, or you can’t remember everything
- you’re afraid of comments or questions about your body or (sexual) life
What happened to you isn’t your fault. The Sexual Assault Center is here for you!
Safe and accessible
Members of the LGBTIQ+ community in the Netherlands and elsewhere are more likely to be victims of sexual violence than heterosexual people are. Bisexual women and transgender or non-binary individuals in particular are at higher risk. The Sexual Assault Center expressly condemns these forms of sexual violence!
The Sexual Assault Center wants to be safe and accessible for everyone who needs our help.
Seek help within 7 days
If you seek help from the Sexual Assault Center within 7 days – and preferably within 72 hours – we can make sure you get the best help possible. Reaching out early gives you the best chance of recovering psychologically, preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, and securing any evidence. Securing evidence increases the chances of finding the perpetrator.
Do you need help?
If you need immediate help, have any doubts or are plagued with questions, you can always call or chat with us for free. We are available 24/7 by phone. Call 112 if every second counts.
Within 7 days
We are available 24/7 for anyone who has recently been the victim of sexual assault or rape. We can ensure you get the best level of support if you contact us within 7 days of experiencing sexual violence. So, please try to call us as soon as possible.
More than 7 days ago
You can also call us about a traumatic experience you’ve had longer ago or if you’re unsure whether your experience was actually sexual violence. We are available during office hours for these and other questions. Also you can chat with one of our professionals.
Respect
There may be reasons why you’re finding it difficult to seek help after experiencing sexual violence. This might be because you encountered homophobia or transphobia when trying to seek help in the past. We treat everyone who calls us with respect and give them the personal attention they deserve.
Confidential
You can call us anonymously if you want. Doctors, nurses, psychologists and social workers all work together at the Sexual Assault Center to make sure that everyone receives excellent care. They are bound by their professional duty of confidentiality and won’t share information without your consent.
The Sexual Assault Center helped them too
'My date drugged and raped me'
Milan was drugged and raped by a date he met online. He called the Sexual Assault Center the next day because he was afraid he might have been infected with HIV. The doctor at the Sexual Assault Center was able to give him medication to stop this from happening.
'I was beaten up and assaulted'
Since Nora has been living as a woman, she has had to contend with discrimination and verbal abuse on the street. Things got out of hand once, and a group of people beat her up and assaulted her. In addition to medical care, the Sexual Assault Center helped her find a lawyer to help her
report the incident.
'He is threatening to post photos of me online'
David meets a nice man through a dating app. After a while, his date asks for nude images and David sends them to him. When David wants to break off contact with the man after a while, he threatens to post David’s images online. David contacted the Sexual Assault Center for help and advice.
The Sexual Assault Center is here for you!
Contact us if you’ve had a traumatic sexual experience (online or offline) like Milan, Nora and David and need help or advice.
Which help do we offer?
Medical help
A doctor can examine or treat you to prevent an HIV infection, an STD or an unwanted pregnancy.
Tips from the doctor
- Try to contact the Sexual Assault Center as soon as possible, preferably within 72 hours. Ask for the morning after pill or PEP medication if there is any chance of pregnancy or HIV infection.
- It’s extra important to take good care of yourself. So, try to eat and drink healthily.
- After such an intense experience, you should be careful with alcohol and drugs. We can understand you wanting to block out your feelings for a while, but they’ll just resurface as soon as you stop drinking or taking drugs. The risk of addiction increases at times like this too, and they also make it more difficult to treat you.
Tips from the psychologist
- After such an intense experience, it can be difficult to maintain a normal day-night rhythm. Try though because it’s better for your health if you can.
- You may find it difficult to talk about what has happened to you. Try though because talking to someone you trust can really help.
- If you find it difficult to talk about what you have been through, you could write it down.
Psychological help
The Sexual Assault Center can help you process a non-consensual sexual experience and also put you in touch with a psychologist if you like.
Legal help
If you want, we can help you contact the police. The employees at Victim Support Netherlands and specialist lawyers are on hand to help you too. The Sexual Assault Center will help you no matter what – even if you decide not to involve the police.
Tips from the police
- The sexual offences unit can organise an information meeting with you to outline the process involved if you decide to report the incident after the meeting.
- Although you may feel dirty, it’s wise not to shower, wash, use the toilet or brush your teeth. This will give the police a bigger chance of finding evidence.
Questions and thoughts you may have
Click on the arrows for an answer and/or response
I didn't want to have sex, but I didn’t say ‘no’. Is that still abuse?
If you were forced to have sex, that’s abuse. It’s important to realise that 70% of victims freeze or cooperate during sexual abuse. It’s often impossible to say anything or call for help. It’s a natural response and your body’s way of protecting you. In times of extreme stress, your body takes over; there’s nothing you can do to stop it.
I took drugs and then had sex against my will. Does that mean the abuse was my fault?
No, it definitely does not. No one should ever cross your boundaries, even if you have taken drugs. So, it's not your fault that you’ve been forced to have sex.
I think I was drugged and that someone then had sex with me against my will. What can I do?
It’s important to realise that this wasn’t your fault. Contact the Sexual Assault Center for help and advice. Preferably within 7 days. We can make sure you get the best help then. What if the incident happened longer ago? Don't worry; we can still help. It’s important for you to know that it won’t be easy to prove that you were drugged, especially if it happened longer ago.
The person who abused me is someone I know. So, I’d prefer to keep the incident to myself. Is that normal?
Yes, that’s very normal. If you do decide to tell people, it could cause a lot of unrest in your family or friend group, etc. However, you will recover better if you talk about the abuse. Talk to someone you trust. Or speak to a professional (anonymously) via www.chatmetcsg.nl.
My partner is forcing me to have sex. Is that normal? What can I do about it?
Non-consensual sex in a relationship is not normal. For help or advice, contact the Sexual Assault Center. Either call 0800-0188 or speak to a professional (anonymously) via www.chatmetcsg.nl.
My physical characteristics don’t match my gender identity. Will I be treated with respect at the Sexual Assault Center?
Definitely. We are here to help you after a traumatic sexual experience, no matter who you are or what you look like. We are here for you!
The abuse happened a long time ago. Can I still contact you for help or advice?
Absolutely. You can always contact the Sexual Assault Center for help or advice about what you experienced. The effects of sexual abuse can last for years. It's never too late to seek help.
Can I seek help from the Sexual Assault Center anonymously?
You can call or chat with the Sexual Assault Center anonymously. However, we are required to record your personal details if you come to the Sexual Assault Center for help and treatment. Our doctors, nurses, psychologists and social workers all work together to provide excellent care. They are bound by their professional duty of confidentiality and will handle your data with care.
Do you have any questions, want to get something off your chest or need advice? Our care professionals are here for you and ready to chat!
Het Centrum Seksueel Geweld bevindt zich in alle regio’s van Nederland. Er is dus altijd hulp in de buurt.
Direct hulp nodig? Bel snel 0800-0188
