Care for Victims of Sexual Assault (CVSA)
Victim Support Malta, in cooperation with the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity provides Care for Victims of Sexual Assault (CVSA) service to support and assist sexual assault and rape victims aged 16yrs+. Support is given through social work services, psychological services, legal representation or consultation and liaison with hospital and the police.
WHAT IS SEXUAL ASSAULT?
A person is a victim of sexual assault if they have been involved in any type of sexual activity without giving their permission or consent. Sexual assault can take different forms, but one thing remains the same: it is never the victim’s fault.
Some forms of sexual assault include:
• Fondling or unwanted sexual touching,
• Forcing sexual acts, such as oral sex or penetrating the perpetrator’s body, • Penetration of the victim’s body, also known as rape,
• Attempted rape,
• Sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and unwanted sexting.
The team operates on a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week on call basis from Mater Dei Hospital. Victims of sexual assault can call at hospital at any time in order to access the following services:
1. Medical Check-up
Doctors and nurses are available to provide a thorough check-up for victims following incidents of sexual assault. The check-up includes testing and follow-up for STDs and pregnancy.
2. Police intervention (If you wish to press charges)
If you wish to report the crime to the police, delegates will be dispatched to Mater Dei Hospital, so that you can report what happened.
3. Social Work Services
Victims of sexual assault will be assessed in order to determine safety and what type of support is necessary. If it is unsafe for a victim to return to their home, they will be supported in seeking shelter. This services operates on a 24/7 on call basis from Mater Dei Hospital.
Following services at Mater Dei Hospital or for those wishing to Report Sexual Assault or Rape years after it happend, all victims are also entitled to:
4. Free Psychological Services / Counselling
Sexual assault may cause high levels of trauma, which may affect one’s daily life, even if the incident occurred in the past. We encourage victims to access our free therapeutic service.
5. Free legal representation / consultation
Victims of sexual assault are entitled to free legal services. This means that clients can be represented and supported legally throughout court proceedings. In the event that victims do not wish to report the case to the police, they are still entitled to access legal services in order to determine their rights as victims of sexual assault.
A number of support services will also be available depending on individual case requirements. Victims are free to access whichever services they wish to utilize whilst refuting the rest.
If you have suffered sexual assault, whether it was recently or not, and would like to access our CVSA services, get in touch with us by contacting Victim Support Malta on + 356 2122 8333 or send us an email on info@victimsupport.org.mt
Information About Consent
What is consent?
Consent occurs when somebody knowingly agrees to participate in something. Any sexual act which occurs in the absence of consent of one of the parties is a sexual assault. A person cannot provide consent or agree to participate in a sexual act if they are:
- Under the legal age of consent
- Intoxicated
- In a mentally impaired state
- Intimidated, coerced or threatened
- Responding to someone in a position of power (such as an employer/ manager, therapist)
If someone initially agrees to participate in an act, but then changes their mind, they have the right to withdraw consent.
In sexual acts, one can withdraw consent by saying things like:
- ‘Stop’
- ‘Can we take a break?’
- ‘I don’t want to anymore’
- ‘I need to go’
- ‘I don’t think I want to do this’
