Support for victims of sexual violence
If you have experienced physical injuries or sexual violence, e.g. rape, it is important to seek medical care as quickly as possible.
016 Helpline
Support in 53 languages by phone and a telephone translation service.
General information service is available 24/7
Legal advice service 8 - 22 Every day
WhatsApp: 600 000 016 (this number does not accept phone calls)
Support via email (016-online@igualdad.gob.es) and online chat (24 hours) in Spanish, Catalan, Basque, Galician, Valencian, English and French.
016 Service characteristics:
- Free of charge and confidential.
- Accessible for people with hearing and/or speech disabilities and low vision. (SVIsual), (Telesor), (DTS or text telephone: 900 116 016)
- Support for inquiries from across the country.
- Coordination with similar services in the Autonomous Communities.
Detecting possible situations of recent or past sexual violence is essential to begin restoring victims’ rights. Primary care and hospital settings can serve as key spaces for identifying recent or past gender-based violence, provided there is an active, supportive, and deliberate approach by healthcare professionals to inquire about such issues. It has been shown that women attending consultations are often able to speak up and disclose if they are, or have been, victims of gender-based violence, whether recent or in the past, when asked directly. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to gather and update information on the situations of women who come in for consultations, either through periodic inquiries or during the initial recording of a medical history.
The field of early detection of gender-based violence focuses on strengthening public services as key entry points for early identification, with particular emphasis on health centers, social services, specialized services, and the educational sector.
