Find The Resources You Need

What Policies Enable My Access To These Services?

Here you can find a complete listing of Illinois policies related to services or supports available to crime victims. Each of these policies that enables access to services has eligibility requirements. Please use the hyperlinks available to review the eligibility requirements.

Illinois Crime Victims Compensation Act

You can find the legislation here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2028&ChapterID=57
You Can Apply Online Using this link: https://agforms.ilag.gov/Forms/CrimeVictimsCompensation
You can also print out the application and mail or fax it in to the Office of the Illinois Attorney General: https://ag.state.il.us/victims/CV_Application2013.pdf
Your application will be reviewed by the Office of the Illinois Attorney General and the Court of Claims. Information on compensable crimes and eligible expenses is available here: https://ag.state.il.us/victims/cvonlineapplication.html

Illinois Victims Economic Safety and Security Act (VESSA)

You can find the legislation here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2502&ChapterID=68
VESSA allows for up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave for to employees who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, gender violence, or any other crime of violence or who have a family or household member who are victims of such violence. VESSA prohibits discrimination against such employees and allows for this leave in order for the employee to seek medical help, legal aid, mental health services, or other forms of assistance.

Illinois Violent Crime Witness Protection Act

You can find the policy here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3496&ChapterID=54
The Act provides for a Program (Violent Crime Witness Protection Program) that protects victims and witnesses who fear retaliation for testifying against those accused of violent crimes. The program provides funding for relocation of witnesses, victims, and those related persons supporting the prosecution of individuals being charged with the violent crime, in addition to funds to support access to mental health treatment and lost wage assistance.
Currently, there is no online application available to file from assistance through this act. Interested applicants or advocates should contact the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the fiscal agent associated with this effort, at (312) 793-8550

Illinois Homelessness Prevention Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1436&ChapterID=29
The Act enables the Homeless Prevention Program (https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=30360) which provides rental/ mortgage assistance, utility assistance, and support services to individuals at risk of eviction, foreclosure, or homelessness or individuals who are currently homeless. Crime victims at risk of homelessness may be eligible.
Here is a list of approved providers who implement the Program. Interested applicants or advocates should contact the Illinois Department of Human Services or one of the listed providers to inquire about accessing these services: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=110583

Illinois Safe Homes Act

You can find the legislation here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2817&ChapterID=62
The Act enables survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking and their family members to flee unsafe housing situations by enabling a breach of lease. The Act also enables survivors to request a change of locks and restricts landlords from disclosing information regarding the tenant’s situation to any prospective landlords.

Illinois Address Confidentiality Act

You can find the legislation here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2101&ChapterID=59
The Act is designed for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking.
The Act enables survivors fleeing actual or threatened violence to establish new addresses to prevent their assailants or probable assailants from finding them.
To apply for the program online, use the following link: https://agforms.ilag.gov/Forms/ACP
To apply via mail, a pdf of the application can be found here: https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/victims/ACP_Application.pdf

Illinois Public Services Act: Deferral of Deposit

You can read the legislation here: https://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/022000050K8-201.6.htm
The Act enables utility providers to defer the utility’s initial credit and deposit requirements for 60 days for eligible domestic violence survivors. Please make sure to review the eligibility requirements.

Affirmative Defense for Violence

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073500050K9-106.2
Affirmative Defense provides protections to survivors of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual violence. If a survivor breaches a rental contract due to circumstances surrounding their victimization, Affirmative Defense protects them from any actions brought by a landlord to recover rent.

Illinois Prevention Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act

You can find the policy here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3672&ChapterID=18
The Act ensures that all Illinois higher education institutions have a single, comprehensive policy addressing sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking that includes electronic, confidential, or anonymous reporting guidelines and provides for bystander/ third party reports. The Act requires training of all Higher Education faculty and staff, procedures to resolve complaints, and mandates mechanisms to notify survivors about their rights. Consent is also defined in this policy.

Illinois Adult Protective Services Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1452&ChapterID=31
The Act pertains to adults age 60 or older and people with disabilities ages 18-59. The Act provides a mechanism to report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, and self-neglect.
To report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect, please reference the numbers listed via the Illinois Department on Aging: https://ilaging.illinois.gov/protectionadvocacy/abuse-reporting.html

Illinois Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents Reporting Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1222&ChapterID=21
The Act pertains to residents of mental health facility or developmental disability facility.
The Act mandates reporting of abuse or neglect of residents in these facilities and provides protection for reporters and survivors of the abuse.
To report suspected abuse or neglect of long term care facility residents, please reference the reporting mechanism detailed via the Illinois Department on Aging: https://ilaging.illinois.gov/programs/ltcombudsman/ombuds-reporting.html

Illinois Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1531&ChapterID=35
The Act regulates the healthcare hospitals are required to provide to survivors of sexual violence. It also establishes a statewide forensic evidence collection system and facilitates reimbursement for the cost of care and evidence collection for victims who are not covered by private insurance or Medicaid.

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1531&ChapterID=35
Survivors of sexual assault may request assistance of a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) professional at a hospital if they are seeking medical assistance.

Illinois Trafficking Victims Protection Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2812&ChapterID=57#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20this%20Act,or%20involuntary%20servitude%20or%20subjected
The Act pertains to survivors of sex trade, involuntary servitude, or human trafficking. The Act enables these survivors to seek civil damages and remedies from individuals and/ or entities that recruited, harmed, profited, or maintained them in sex trade, involuntary servitude, or human trafficking.

Illinois Survivor Support and Trafficking Prevention Act

You can find the policy here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=099-0870
The Act pertains to foreign born victims of trafficking, torture, or other serious crimes and their derivative family members. The Act enables access to Cash and Food Assistance if the survivor has applied or intends to apply for a T or U Visa, or Asylum.

Illinois Family Bereavement Leave Act

You can find the policy here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3724&ChapterID=68
The Act pertains to the death of a family member and includes miscarriage-related deaths. All employed bereaved family members are entitled to use a maximum of 2 weeks of unpaid bereavement leave.

Murdered Children Funeral and Burial Assistance Act

You can find the policy here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=4289&ChapterID=28
The policy assists the families of children murdered in Illinois with funeral and burial expenses by having the State issue direct payments to funeral establishments and cemetery authorities. Eligible family members include parents or guardians of children who have a household income of less than 150% of the federal poverty level.

Illinois Domestic Violence Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=2100&ChapterID=59
The Act pertains to survivors of domestic violence. The Act enables survivors to access orders of protection, clarifies and supports the efforts of law enforcement to respond effectively to survivors of domestic violence, and expands civil and criminal remedies for survivors of domestic violence.

Illinois Stalking No Contact Order Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3123&ChapterID=57
The Act pertains to survivors of stalking. The Act enables survivors to file petitions for Stalking No Contact Orders that prohibits stalkers from seeking contact with the survivor.

Illinois Civil No Contact Order Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=2491&ChapterID=57
The Act pertains to survivors of sexual assault. The Act enables survivors in cases where the sexual assault is not reported or not prosecuted to seek civil remedy requiring that the offender stay away from the victim.

Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=082004050K601
If a survivor of domestic violence voluntarily leaves their job due to domestic violence-related safety reasons, they may still be eligible for unemployment insurance through this policy.

Illinois Public Aid Code: Domestic and Sexual Violence

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=030500050K4-22
The policy outlines a protocol through which TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) eligibility requirements may be waived for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) created an assessment and application protocol that flags if an applicant is a survivor for domestic or sexual violence. Based on the review of IDHS, the eligibility requirements for TANF may be waived for survivors for domestic or sexual violence.

Illinois Vehicle Code: Victims of Domestic Violence

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?ActID=1815&ChapterID=49&SeqStart=63400000&SeqEnd=68200000#:~:text=3%2D806.6.,Victims%20of%20domestic%20violence.&text=214%20of%20the%20Illinois%20Domestic,Article%20VI%20of%20this%20Chapter
The policy enables victims of domestic violence to obtain a new and different license plates immediately upon request to a registered owner of a vehicle who appears in person and submits a completed application at an Illinois Secretary of State office.

Illinois Vital Records Act

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1573&ChapterID=35
The Act waives application fees for birth certificates for survivors of domestic violence who are currently living in a domestic violence shelter.

Illinois School Code: Children and Students Who are Parents, Expectant Parents, or Victims of Domestic or Sexual Violence

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=010500050HArt%2E+26A&ActID=1005&ChapterID=17&SeqStart=173000000&SeqEnd=174200000
The policy goes into effect July 1st, 2025
The purpose of the policy is to ensure that Illinois schools have policies and procedures that enable children and students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence to be identified by schools and supported with adequate protection, instruction, and referrals to related services in order to enable them to meet State educational standards and obtain a school diploma.

Confidentiality of statements made to personnel counseling victims of violent crimes

The policy can be found here: https://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/073500050K8-802.2.htm
The policy protects the confidentiality of statements made by survivors of violence to counselors working within organizations intended to support survivors of violence. The limitations of the confidentiality may be contested if in any judicial proceedings, a party alleges that such statements are necessary to the determination of an issue before the court and written consent to disclosure has not been given. The court shall hold a hearing to determine the relevance of such statements before ordering that the statements be disclosed.

Privileged Communications: Restorative Justice

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073500050K804.5#:~:text=(a)%20This%20Section%20is%20intended,used%20in%20any%20future%20proceeding
The policy protects the confidentiality of statements made by the facilitator, victim, offender, and/ or affected family members, friends, and community members in restorative justice proceedings. Proceedings include, but are not limited to, civil, criminal, juvenile, or administrative hearings. Restorative justice practices include peace circles or restorative conferences. The privilege does not apply if disclosure is necessary to prevent death, great bodily harm, or the commission of a crime primarily.

Confidentiality of Statements Made to Rape Crisis Personnel

The policy can be found here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073500050K8
Survivors of aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual assault, sexual relations within families, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a child, indecent solicitation of a child, public indecency, exploitation of a child, or juvenile prostitution are ensured the confidentiality of statements made during counseling sessions with rape crisis personnel. The only limitation of this confidentiality is when a rape crisis personnel member assess that failure to disclose is likely to result in a clear, imminent risk of serious physical injury or death of the victim or another person.

Illinois Parentage Act: Injunctive Relief

You can find the section on Injunctive Relief here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/075000460K502.htm
The purpose of the policy is to provide protections for survivors of domestic violence in the assignment of parentage. Survivors of domestic violence can present evidence to the Court to prevent parental arrangements that could place children or adults at risk of domestic violence.

Relief from Judgement

You can find the policy here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073500050K2-1401
The policy was recently expanded, effective January 2024, and provides post-judgement relief and resentencing for survivors of gender-based violence.

Defense to Prosecution

You can find the policy here: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K5-2
The policy takes into account the experience of coercion or domestic abuse when determining accountability for a crime that has been committed.

Additional Resources

Low cost/free legal services can be found near where you live at Illinois Legal Aid Online at https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/get-legal-help
- This site provides information about legal issues and their potentional remedies, but the link above will help you find free legal services near you so you can talk with an attorney about the issue.
To find a victim service organization near you, use the Office for Victims of Crime online directory at https://ovc.ojp.gov/directory-crime-victim-services/search#-1
- You can filter the directly by what state you live in, what happened yo you, and what service you are seeking.

Download a printable version of the content available on our website.

Download a document with more information of the current legislation.

Review Your Rights

As a survivor of violence in Illinois, these are your rights on both a state and federal level.

What Do You Need?

As a survivor of violence in Illinois, you may be eligible for support with financial needs, housing, medical costs, mental health services, funeral or burial costs, relocation costs, and more. Based on what happened to you, you may be eligible for different services and supports. Click here to see which policies can provide access to these supports.

Eligibility and Access

Policies outlining rights and services afforded to crime victims often involve definitions of who is considered a victim and what they must do to access services. Read through this section to better understand how to navigate policies intended to support survivors.

Illinois Policies

Here you can find a complete listing of Illinois policies related to services or supports available to crime victims. Each of these policies that enables access to services has eligibility requirements. Please use the hyperlinks available to review the eligibility requirements.