Help for U.S. Citizen Victims of Crime (original) (raw)

U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE — BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS

Travel.State.Gov > International Travel > Emergencies > Help for U.S. Citizen Victims of Crime

The State Department helps U.S. citizens who are victims of crime abroad. Here is information on how we help overseas and in the United States.

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If you are the victim of a crime overseas, you may suffer from physical, emotional, or financial harm.

• Resources and contacts vary by country and type of crime. Review our country information page for your destination. It has information and resources. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, or, the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. Call us at (888) 407-4747 (from the U.S. or Canada) or (202) 501-4444(from overseas). Consular officers are available for emergency help. They're available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.

How Consular Sections Can Help:

• Replace a lost or stolen passport.
• Contact family, friends, or employers in accordance with the Privacy Act.
• Provide information about available medical care.
• Explain financial assistance options. For example, aid to return to the United States.
• If applicable, request an update from the local authorities on the status of your case in the local criminal justice process.
• Connect you to local, state, federal and international resources for victims of crime.
• Provide a list of local lawyers who speak English.

Consular Sections Cannot:

• Investigate crimes,
• Provide legal advice or represent you in court,
• Serve as official interpreters or translators, or
• Pay legal, medical, or other expenses for you.

General Victim Assistance:

• U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC): Contact information for non-emergency services in communities throughout U.S. OVC includes the International Terrorism Victim Expense Reimbursement Program (ITVERP).
• U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women: Information about local sexual assault and domestic violence victim assistance coalitions.
• Office for Victims of Crime Directory of Crime Victim Services: Global list of abuse hotlines, shelters, refuges, crisis centers and women's organizations, plus domestic violence information in over 90 languages.
• National Center for Victims of Crime: Information for crime victims on the impact of crime, safety planning, legal rights and civil legal remedies, and options for assistance and referrals to local programs.

Sexual Assault:

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network): Toll-free 24/7 hotline for sexual assault counseling and referrals: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). RAINN also offers an online website hotline. It provides live, secure, anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual violence, their friends, and families. The Online Hotline is free of charge and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• (NSVRC) National Sexual Violence Resource Center: A non-profit which provides resources and information on sexual assault. NSVRC also has a state directory of organizations that provide services to survivors of sexual assault.

Homicide:

• National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children: Hotline for crisis counseling and referrals available Monday-Friday, 8-5 PM EST.
• The Compassionate Friends: Nonprofit which provides trauma-based resources for victims of crime.

Domestic Violence:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 24/7 hotline provides essential tools and support to help survivors of domestic violence. The Hotline offers free and confidential support, crisis intervention information, education, and referral services in over 200 languages: 1-800-799-SAFE or 1-800-799-7233. 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence offers a safe home and shelter programs, public education, and technical assistance. They also have a list of state and international organizations that can assist domestic violence victims: 303-839-1852.

Early and Forced Marriage:

• Tahirih Center for Justice: Nonprofit that provides resources for resettlement for victims of early and forced marriage in the United States.
• Unchained At Last: Nonprofit that provides resources for early and forced marriage survivors.
• For more information, visit our page on Forced Marriage.

Child Exploitation and Child Sexual Abuse Material:

• FBI Online Tip Reporting Form: Online reporting form through the Federal Bureau of Investigation which investigates cases of online child exploitation.
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber Tipline (NCMEC): Online reporting tool for child sexual exploitation in any country (including suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, extra-familial child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images). English or Spanish language is supported or call 1-800-843-5678. NCMEC operates this tipline 24/7 and the FBI reviews reports from the NCMEC Cyber Tipline on a continuous basis. NCMEC operates this tipline 24/7 and the FBI reviews reports from the NCMEC Cyber Tipline on a continuous basis.
• NCMEC’s Take It Down Online Reporting Tool: NCMEC run online reporting tool used to assist removing explicit photos of children online.

Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C):

Fact sheets on FGM/C from the U.S. Department of State are available in the following languages:

• Amharic
• Arabic
• Bahasa
• English
• French
• Ormifa
• Somali
• Swahili
• Tigrinya
• U.S. End FGM/C: NGO focused on providing information and resource on FGM/C for victims in the United States.
• National Child Abuse Hotline: U.S. National child abuse hotline to report suspected and confirmed abuse of children or call 800-4-A-Child (800-422-4453).
• FBI Online Tip Reporting Form: Online reporting form through the Federal Bureau of Investigation which investigates cases of FGM/C, or call 800-225-5324.
• DHS ICE Homeland Security Investigations Online Tip Form: Form for reporting criminal activity, including FGM/C, or call (866) 347-2423.

Financial Scams and Fraud:

• For more information, visit our page on Protecting Yourself From Scams.
• Federal Trade Commission Online Fraud Reporting Tool: Online form used to report internet fraud to the FTC online. You may also report by phone, toll-free, at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). Online form used to report internet fraud to the FTC online. You may also report by phone, toll-free, at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): Form used to file a financial loss complaint or report tips about other online criminal activity to the FBI.
• United States Secret Service Website for Protecting Yourself from Fraud and Scams: U.S. Secret Service (USSS) website that has information on types of fraud and scams the USSS investigates. If you are the victim of Advanced Fee Fraud, contact the nearest Field Office of the United States Secret Service by telephone.
• U.S. Postal Inspector: Reporting tool when the U.S. mail system is used in a fraud scheme, even if it originated by telephone or on the Internet.
• FTC’s Identity Theft Center: This site has important resources for protecting individuals from identity theft.

Human Trafficking:

• National Human Trafficking Tip Line: Advocates are available 24/7 to take reports of potential human trafficking. You can also contact them at 1-888-373-7888, or text them at 233733.
• FBI Online Tip Reporting Form: Online reporting form through the Federal Bureau of Investigation which investigates cases of human trafficking.
• National Human Trafficking Resource Center/Polaris Project: National hotline which provides resources for victims of human trafficking. You may also call them at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP to BeFree (233733).

Terrorism:

• International Terrorism Victim Expense Reimbursement Program (ITVERP): Funded by the Antiterrorism Emergency Reserve and administered by OVC, provides financial reimbursement for qualifying expenses such as medical, mental health, property loss, and funeral expenses. Learn about eligibility, what expenses are covered, and how to apply by visiting the ITVERP website.
• U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism: U.S. Department of Justice office which supports U.S. victims of terrorism overseas and assists them in obtaining information, maintains presence through terrorism prosecutions, and using their voice during proceedings, as permitted by foreign law.
• For more information, visit our page on Terrorism.

Miscellaneous Crisis Hotlines and Victim Services Programs:

• The Trevor Project: Focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth, they offer a toll-free telephone number where confidential assistance is provided by trained counselors.
• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline:The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
• U.S. State Victim Compensation Programs: All states receive federal funds from the DOJ’s Office for Victims of Crime to support local victim assistance and victim compensation programs. In the aftermath of an act of terrorism or mass violence occurring outside the United States, some states offer U.S. citizens crime victim compensation benefits for lost wages incurred because of the crime. Victim compensation benefits are governed by the applicable state statutes, so eligibility may vary among states. Contact the victim compensation program in your state for more information about eligibility and the application process so you can refer victims to them.

Disclaimer

The information above is provided for general information only and may not be applicable in a particular case. You should ask private legal counsel about interpreting specific U.S. or foreign laws.

This site is managed by the U.S. Department of State. External links to other Internet sites and listings of private entities on this page are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as the U.S. Department of State or U.S. government endorsement of the entity, its views, the products or services it provides, or the accuracy of information contained therein. The order in which links appear has no significance, and the listings or links may be removed at any time at the discretion of the Department.

Last Updated: August 19, 2024

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