Woman raped in Turkey tells UK Foreign Office to ‘go on’ with holiday and ‘enjoy it’

0

A young UK woman who was raped while on holiday in Turkey has been told by a government office to continue her journey and ‘enjoy it’, a watchdog has found.

The victim, named Ms B, was said to have been ‘treated with contempt’ by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and denied the chance to take legal action, according to the Ombudsman of the Parliament and health services.

She even received a message from the Vice Consul which read: ‘What you need to do now is continue your holiday and enjoy it,’ reports the PA news agency.

READ MORE: Police issue Mason Greenwood bail update after rape arrest

The public services watchdog upheld the victim’s complaint, concluding that the FCDO’s failings caused him to miss an opportunity to bring his attackers to justice. The woman was not given information on where to seek legal advice or local police procedures.

She was also led to believe several things that were untrue, including that she had provided enough evidence to the police, that she did not need a forensic examination, and that she had completed the necessary paperwork. to a criminal investigation.

Ms B also expressed concern about the attitude of FCDO officials, saying they did not believe her and did not take her seriously. She felt compelled to return to Turkey three times to hire a local lawyer and follow up with the police, but none of the perpetrators were found.

An earlier police investigation could have reached a different result, the woman believes. She said: “I would not wish my experience of the mismanagement of the FCDO on anyone else. I can only hope that important lessons will be learned by the FCDO as a result of the Ombudsman’s report and, consequently, of the Significant changes will be made to their processes, hiring practices and training.

The following services will also provide treatment or support, and can refer you to another service if you need more specialist help.

The Ombudsman recommended that the ministry indicate the measures it intends to take to remedy its shortcomings in a plan presented to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs. He also asked the FCDO to compensate Ms. B for the unnecessary travel and legal costs she incurred and the distress she suffered as a result of her actions.

Ombudsman Rob Behrens said: “A young woman who has had a deeply traumatic experience has been treated with contempt by the very people who were supposed to help her. This is a serious dereliction of duty on the part of the FCDO, which must ensure that those mishandling a serious sexual assault incident will never happen again.

“In the aftermath of the #MeToo era, people have a right to assume that government departments will display the highest levels of awareness and understanding of the importance of women’s safety.”

A FCDO spokesperson said: “We apologize for the distress caused and will immediately implement the Ombudsman’s recommendations. Since this incident in 2018, the FCDO has taken a number of steps to ensure that victims are not dismissed in the same way. We are committed to learning where we have failed so that we can improve the consular support we provide to UK nationals in cases of rape and sexual assault.”

Read more about today’s top stories here

Share.

Comments are closed.