How to complain, if you are abused by other patients?
If you are abused by other patients in any way, you can submit the following complaints:
You should tell the personnel at the mental health care institution first of all. They have an obligation to help you, but they cannot do that if they didn’t know that you had been abused. If the personnel are unable to help you, you can complain further to the administration of the section or the administration of the institution.
If you are not satisfied with the response of the administration, you can file a complaint to the Health Inspectorate. The Health Inspectorate will consider your application, make a decision about the next appropriate step and ask you for further documentation, if necessary. The inspectorate must respond to you within one month. If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Inspectorate, you can appeal according to the order indicated in the decision.
[important] If the personnel suspect that the mistreatment has resulted in a criminal offence, they have a duty to report this to the police. You also have the right to turn directly to the police. Upon such a complaint, the police must act accordingly and investigate the situation.
It is possible that a criminal case will be opened against the person involved on the basis of your complaint. In this case you should ask for compensation for damages as a victim in the criminal proceedings.
If the compensation claim within the criminal proceedings cannot, or cannot fully, redress your damages, you have the further right to seek damages by filing a civil claim. In some cases, you as a victim, also have the right to compensation from the state. Read more about it in the Law on State Compensation to Victims.