Types of help for victims of crime
Many services exist for people who are survivors of crime. As a survivor, know that getting through the trauma of crime takes time. Your needs may also change over time. It is essential to get the help you need.
Medical or healthcare
Doctors, nurses and other licensed health care workers offer survivors:
- Physical health care such as treatment for cuts, bruises, and broken bones
- Mental health care such as behavioral therapy, medication, counseling and support groups
Housing or shelter
Shelter or housing services assist survivors by:
- Helping them find a safe place to stay
- Helping them get permanent housing
- Helping them relocate or move
Social services or case management
Social or caseworkers may help survivors by:
- Assessing their needs
- Connecting them to housing, health, financial and legal services
- Planning for their safety
- Applying for public benefits such as SNAP (food stamps), TANF (welfare), or general or township assistance
- Applying for Medicaid or Medicare (government health insurance)
- Applying for crime victim compensation
Legal services
Lawyers may help survivors by:
- Using the courts to keep you and your family safe
- Protecting victim or family privacy
- Enforcing court orders such as protective orders, or child custody, visitation or support orders
- Asserting victims rights in criminal cases
- Appealing Section 8 or public housing denials
- Appealing public benefits denials
- Applying for crime victim compensation or appealing its denial
Other help
Victims of crime may need additional support such as:
- Language - interpretation or translation
- Disability
- Transportation
- Life skills