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What do I do if I am sexually assaulted?
  • Get medical attention right away. CVC advocates can accompany you to any Lehigh Valley hospital.
  • Find a good support system. Sexual assault is a violent crime. It is not about sex, it is about power and control. Sexual offenders take power and control away from their victims. You are not alone! If you need support, call the 24-hour hotline at 610.437.6611.
How can I help someone who has had a loved one murdered or killed in a violent crime?
  • Acknowledge the grieving persons feelings.
  • Offer to help assist with specific tasks. This may include arranging for child care, cooking, arrange gathering after the funeral, do laundry, clean house, chauffer, pick people up at the airport, grocery shop, call employers, and scan mail for urgency.
  • Don't be offended or hurt if you are not "needed" immediately. The time may not be right presently, but it will be in the future.
  • Don't say "if there is anything I can do, just call me." A grieving person may not be able to ask for help.
  • Do say "I will call you tomorrow to ask if there is anything I can do," and do it.
  • Do keep in touch with the bereaved family after the funeral. A family may feel very alone after everyone leaves.
  • Do remember cards, gifts or a phone call for the bereaved on holidays or the anniversary date. You might worry that you'll remind them of the pain, but on these days they will not be able to forget their loss. Expressions of love and concern will help survivors through these difficult times.
Is drunk driving really a crime?
  • One person is injured in an alcohol related traffic crash every 2 minutes.
  • 38% of all traffic fatalities died in alcohol related crashes in 1998 (Nat'l Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1999).
  • In 1998 there was an estimated 968,868 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol (FBI, October 1999).
Do victims have any rights? In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, there is a Victims' Bill of Rights, which provides victims certain basic rights. Most other states also offer victims basic rights, and there is a movement to guarantee these rights in a United States Constitutional Amendment. The basic rights available to victims in Pennsylvania include:
  • To receive basic information concerning the services available for victims of crime.
  • To be notified of certain significant actions and proceedings within the criminal justice system.
  • To be accompanied at all public criminal proceedings.
  • To submit prior comment to the prosecutor's office on the potential reduction or dropping of any charge or changing of a plea.
  • To have the opportunity to offer prior comment on the sentencing of a defendant; including the submission of a written victim statement detailing the physical, psychological and economic effects of the crime on the victim, which shall be considered by the judge when determining the defendant's sentence.
  • To be restored, to the extent possible, to the pre-crime economic status.
  • To be given the opportunity to provide prior comment on and to receive state post-sentencing release decisions, including work release, furlough, parole, pardon, or community treatment center placement and to provided immediate notice of an escape of the offender.
  • To receive notice when an offender is committed to a mental health facility from a state correctional institution and of the release of the offender from the mental health facility.
  • To have assistance in the preparation of, submission of and follow-up on financial assistance claims.
What is Victims' Compensation?
  • Victims' Compensation is a state fund that provides victims of crime with financial assistance for certain losses as a result of their victimization. Some covered expenses can include: out of pocket medical expenses, loss of earnings, funeral expenses and stolen benefits.
  • Victims' must report their crime to police within 72 hours, must file a claim within one year of the date of the crime, and must be willing to prosecute in order to be eligible for compensation.
  • Victims' Compensation is a payer of last resort.
  • Victims' Compensation will not cover property loss/damage or pain and suffering.
  • CVC Advocates can further explain Victims' Compensation and can help you complete all necessary forms.
How can I get counseling?
  • Contact CVC's 24-hour hotline at 610.437.6611 to schedule an appointment with a counselor.
  • All services are confidential and offered at no cost.