Get Help
Get Help
If you or someone you know needs help right now, start here. This page is informational, not legal advice — for anything specific to your situation, use the free legal aid contacts below.
Right now
Your rights, in plain language
You can file at any police station ("Zero FIR")
Any police station has to register your complaint immediately, even if the incident happened outside its jurisdiction — it then transfers the case to the right station itself. You should never be turned away or told to "go elsewhere first."
Free medical treatment, no exceptions
Under Section 397 BNSS (formerly Section 357C CrPC), every hospital — private or government — must give free first aid and treatment. They cannot demand police paperwork before treating you, and the discredited "two-finger test" is not a lawful part of the medical exam.
Your statement, recorded with dignity
Your statement to police should be recorded by a woman officer wherever possible, and you can request that your Section 183 BNSS statement (recorded before a magistrate) be given in a place that isn't open or intimidating.
If the police refuse to register your FIR
Ask for it in writing
Under Section 173(1) BNSS, police must register an FIR for a cognizable offence like rape. If they refuse, ask for the refusal in writing — you're entitled to it.
Escalate to the Superintendent of Police
Section 173(4) BNSS lets you send your complaint by post to the SP, who can order the FIR registered or investigate personally.
Go to a magistrate
Under Section 175(3) BNSS, a magistrate can directly order the police to register an FIR and investigate. A NALSA-appointed lawyer (see above) can help you file this application at no cost.
Recognising spiritual or religious-authority manipulation
Abuse by someone in a position of religious or spiritual authority follows recognisable patterns. None of these describe a specific person or organisation — they're general warning signs worth knowing.
- Claiming a unique or divine sanction ("only I can guide you," "this is God's will") to justify demands that would otherwise seem clearly wrong.
- Gradually isolating you from family, friends, or anyone who might question the relationship.
- Framing abuse as a test of faith, a blessing, or a secret between you and a higher power — something you'd be punished or shamed for disclosing.
- Using community deference to their status to make reporting feel unthinkable, or suggesting the community itself would suffer if you spoke up.
- Alternating between affection and control — kindness that keeps you close, followed by guilt or fear that keeps you quiet.
If this sounds familiar, you're not obligated to protect anyone's reputation over your own safety. The contacts above work the same way regardless of who is involved.