Crime Victim Resources

Note: If you're in an emergency situation, please dial 911.

Crime victims often are asked to testify in court or make a statement under oath in order to help prosecutors convict the perpetrator, and occasionally may receive restitution. Additionally, victims may claim monetary damages in civil court for intentional acts causing injury (i.e. "intentional torts"). But crime victims may also require assistance outside of the justice system, such as counseling, shelter, and other such needs.

Knowing where to turn when you need help the most can make all the difference.

Crime Victim Resources: Helpful Links

The following is a list of crime victim resources, including non-profit organizations and government agencies. To suggest a resource for this section, please contact us.

• CrimeVictims.gov – Portal maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice to help crime victims, including a directory of local assistance resources and summaries of victims’ rights.
• Directory of Crime Victim Resources – National directory of services and other resources for victims of crime; may be searched by location, type of victimization, service needed, and agency type (Office for Victims of Crime, DOJ).
• Justice in Indian Country – Information and resources pertaining to Native American tribal law, tribal justice systems, and related matters (National Criminal Justice Reference Service).
• RAINN – The Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network advocates on behalf of sexual crime victims and maintains the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-66-HOPE).
• National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women – Provides legal references to victims of domestic violence who are facing criminal charges.
• ChildHelp – Involved in advocacy and education with the goal of preventing child abuse and neglect; ChildHelp also maintains the National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD).
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children – Works toward reuniting missing and exploited children with their parents and loved ones; provides many different kinds of services and educational resources.
• National Crime Victim Law Institute – Provides resources to help crime victims learn about their rights and their access to certain types of assistance (Lewis & Clark Law School).
• National Domestic Violence Hotline – Connects domestic violence victims with advocates and counselors 24/7 in a confidential setting (1-800-799-SAFE).
• National Human Trafficking Resource Center – Provides educational materials and advocacy to combat human trafficking; maintains the Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-3737-888).
• National Organization for Victim Assistance – Provides general crime victim advocacy; maintains a state-specific list of advocacy resources.
• U.S. Resource Map of Crime Victim Services & Information – Interactive U.S. map provides links to state-specific resources for crime victims (Office for Victims of Crime, DOJ).
• Victim Notification System – The DOJ and most state jurisdictions have laws giving crime victims the right to be notified about the status of their perpetrator’s criminal case (Office for Victims of Crime, DOJ).

Get Professional Legal Help With Your Crime-Related Issue

If you've been the victim of a crime, the criminal justice system can sometimes make you feel like you're the perpetrator. Worse yet, you may find the defendant's attorney is investigating you or asking the court to charge you with some crime. Fortunately, there are crime victim resources that can help. So no matter what kind of criminal case you're involved with, your best move is to speak with a criminal attorney near you.