Victims of crime abroad

th4s · #1 (**permalink**) 25th May 2007, 02:41 AM

Victims of crime abroad
If you are a victim of crime while travelling overseas, the British Consul in that country can provide you with a range of support and help - whatever the crime.
Consuls can:
contact your relatives and friends and let them know what has happened, if that is what you want
ask friends and relatives to help you with money or tickets
tell you how to transfer funds
help you get in touch with local English speaking lawyers, interpreters and doctors
at most posts (but only in a genuine emergency), advance up to £100 in local currency against a sterling cheque supported by a valid cheque guarantee card
as a last resort and only provided certain strict criteria are met, make a repayable loan to return you to the UK
Consuls cannot:
investigate a crime or give legal advice
pay your hotel, legal, medical or travel costs
get better treatment for you in hospital than is provided for local nationals
intervene in court cases

sling · #2 (**permalink**) 1st June 2007, 02:30 PM

If you aren't British, contact the consulate from your country. If your country does not maintain a consulate or embassy, they should have an arrangement with some other country to at least relay information and give you minimal help.

Also, notifying your consulate of even simple things, like a robbery, helps them understand the crime situation in the country. If you don't believe the police will help, or the police actually perpetrated the crime, your consulate is definitely the place to report the incident.

roamer · #3 (**permalink**) 2nd June 2007, 05:24 PM

Being a victim of a crime is traumatic enough. It must be much worse when it happens in an unfamiliar environment, and in a place where you don't speak the language. I wonder how much crime goes unreported just because people can't communicate with the authorities or find the effort required too overwhelming.

attagirl · #4 (**permalink**) 3rd June 2007, 12:05 AM

This is always good information to know. And to take it the step further and specify going to the consulate is just what every person needs to know. We never hope that there will be a problem but if there is you have someone to turn.