Help for persons who are victims

If you are a person who has been the victim of intoxication without your knowledge or sexual assault, it's normal to experience all kinds of emotions and to be in shock. If you have voluntarily consumed intoxicating substances at the time of the sexual assault, you are still person who is a victim. Several resources are available to listen, help, advise or refer you to professionals depending on your needs.

Here are the symptoms you may have experienced if you were intoxicated without your knowledge:

• Dizziness, light-headedness, loss of balance;
• Drowsiness, altered consciousness or loss of consciousness;
• Memory loss, confusion or amnesia;
• Uninhibited behaviour, feeling intoxicated or feeling of a loss of self;
• Nausea and vomiting.

Other symptoms may also be experienced, depending on the substance used by the perpetrator.

Some substances can be detected for few days, while others, such as GHB, can only be detected for a few hours. If you wish to lodge a complaint, it is important to act quickly to detect the substances to which you have been exposed. These steps could allow us to gather evidence that could be used in legal proceedings.

If you think you are a victim of intoxication (without sexual assault or suspicion of sexual assault) and would like to be tested for substances, you can go to an emergency room for a forensic urine specimen collection kit. The suspected intoxication must have occurred within the last 48 hours, since after this time it becomes more difficult to detect the substances that may have been used by the perpetrator.

If the intoxication happened more than 48 hours ago, or if you don't want to take this step, there are several resources available to help you. You can also visit your local health care facility to obtain the care you need, or contact your local police department if you wish to file a report.

Forensic urine specimen collection kit

The use of a forensic urine specimen collection kit is voluntary, and is available in all Québec emergency departments. A short consent form will need to be filled out, in order to provide the urine sample to the police.

The forensic urine specimen collection kit:

• makes it possible to perform a full toxicology screening by the Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de médecine légale (over 200 substances including GHB, street drugs, certain medications and alcohol are screened);
• can be used as evidence in legal proceedings if you wish to file a complaint.

You can choose to stop the process at any time.

For minors

For people under the age of 14, consent to proceed with the forensic urine specimen collection kit must be given by a parent or legal guardian. A minor aged 14 or over can consent to this procedure on their own.

If you believe you have been sexually assaulted, call the Sexual Violence Helpline at 1-888-933-9007.

In most cases, you'll be advised to seek prompt medical attention at a designated centre for medico-social intervention for sexual assault victims .

Preferably, you should not urinate or shower before going to the centre, and you should bring the clothes and underwear you were wearing at the time of the assault.

Designated centre support will help to determine your urgent needs, provide useful information and potentially direct you to different service, for example psychological assistance. You will be offered a medico-social kit or forensic kit, depending on the circumstances and the time elapsed since the assault.

Based on the information you receive, you could decide to file a complaint. If you decide not to file a complaint immediately after completing the forensic kit, it will remain at the designated centre for 14 days before being destroyed. However, the specimen will be preserved in the event that you subsequently decide to initiate legal proceedings.

If you decide to file a complaint within 14 days, the forensic kit will be turned over to the police and the samples will be analyzed by the Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de médecine légale.

Sample analysis may make it possible to:

• enable the identification of the substances consumed;
• allow biological substances that could come from the person who committed the assault to be taken;
• serve as evidence in legal proceedings if you decide to file a complaint.

For minors

For people under the age of 14, consent to proceed with a medical forensics kit or a medical-social kit must be given by a parent or legal guardian. A minor aged 14 or over can consent to either of these procedures on their own.

The following resources are available to help persons who are victims of intoxication. Organizations that support victims of sexual assault are also present in all regions.

For counselling for you or your loved ones.

For referral, psychosocial help for you and your loved ones.

For information about the legal process, including how to report a crime to the police, how to authorize criminal prosecution, and what support is available to persons who are victims.

CAVACs provide front-line services such as support and post-traumatic care to anyone who has been the victim of a crime, and to their loved ones.

IVAC's mission is to help persons who are victims of criminal offences get the financial assistance to which they are entitled, including reimbursement for the cost of follow-up counselling.