If you are a victim of crime, we can help. The Ontario Victims Services Secretariat (OVSS) supports a number of programs and services to help you and your family, including:

• Victim Support Line
• Victim Crisis Assistance & Referral Services
• Victim Quick Response Program
• SupportLink
• Sexual Assault / Rape Crisis Centres
• Victim / Witness Assistance Program
• Child Victim / Witness Program
• Internet Child Exploitation Counselling Program
  • Internet Child Exploitation Counselling Program brochure – NEW
• Domestic Violence Court Program
• Partner Assault Response Programs

To find these services in your community, please use our online Victim Services Directory or call the Victim Support Line.

Victim Support Line

The Victim Support Line (VSL) is a province-wide, bilingual, toll-free information line providing a range of services to victims of crime. The VSL offers:

• Personal information and referral to support services in your community,
• Pre-recorded information about the criminal justice system
• Access to information about provincially sentenced offenders. You can also register for automated notifications when an offender’s status changes
• Referral to the Victim Liaison Unit, to contact the Ontario Victims Services Secretariat if you have concerns with the availability or quality of victim services.

You can call the Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888, or in the Greater Toronto Area, 416-314-2447.

For information on federally incarcerated offenders (those whose sentence is more than two years), please call the National Parole Board at 1-800-518-8817

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Victim Crisis Assistance & Referral Services

The Victim Crisis Assistance & Referral Services (VCARS) program provides immediate, on-site service to victims of crime 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

With a victim’s consent, police will arrange for VCARS staff and/or specially trained volunteers to provide on-site, short-term assistance to victims, and make referrals to community agencies for long-term assistance.

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Victim Quick Response Program

The Victim Quick Response Program (VQRP) provides immediate assistance to victims of violent crime. Through this program, eligible victims who have no other financial means are able to access the following three services:

• Emergency expenses to pay for crime scene clean-up, emergency accommodation and meals, securing premises to ensure safety, and transportation and dependant care costs for a family member who must identify a homicide victim or support a seriously injured victim of violent crime.
• Funeral expenses to assist families of homicide victims.
• Counselling to provide short-term, early intervention counselling to help victims of serious crime.

The VQRP is available in over 50 communities across the province. For more information, including how to apply, please click here

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SupportLink

Through the SupportLink program, victims at risk of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking receive help developing a personal safety plan, information and referral to community services, follow-up contact, and, where appropriate, a cell phone pre-programmed to dial 911

SupportLink is available in:

• Barrie
• Brant
• Belleville
• Caledon
• Durham
• Guelph
• Middlesex
• Muskoka
• Niagara
• North Bay
• North Simcoe
• Ottawa
• Peel
• Peterborough
• Sarnia-Lambton
• Sudbury
• Timmins
• Toronto
• Windsor/Essex
• York Region

To find the SupportLink program nearest you, please use our online Victim Services Directory or call the Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888, or 416-314-2447 in the Greater Toronto Area.

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Sexual Assault / Rape Crisis Centres

Female victims and survivors of sexual assault who are 16 years of age or older are eligible for a variety of counselling, information and referral services from community-based Sexual Assault / Rape Crisis Centres (SACs). These services include:

• Accompanying a victim to court, a hospital or police station
• Supportive peer counselling services (both one-to-one and group)
• Sexual violence education and training for professionals and members of the public
• Information and referral services

For more information on the SAC program, contact the Ontario Network of Sexual Assault / Domestic Violence Treatment Centres, the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres, or call the Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888, or 416-314-2447 in the Greater Toronto Area.

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Victim / Witness Assistance Program

The Victim / Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) is delivered by OVSS employees. It provides information, assistance and support to victims and witnesses of crime to increase their understanding of, and participation in, the criminal court process.

Services are provided on a priority basis to the most vulnerable victims and witnesses of violent crime, such as domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, homicide and hate crime. Families of traffic fatality victims are also eligible. Services begin once police have laid charges and continue until the court case is over.

VWAP staff provide:

• Crisis intervention
• Emotional support
• Case specific information (court dates, bail conditions)
• Court preparation and orientation information
• Needs assessment
• Referrals to community agencies.

Staff also advise Crown attorneys on issues related to sexual assault and domestic violence. In addition, staff participate in public education activities, engage in community initiatives and the development of related protocols with community partners.

To find the VWAP office nearest you, call the Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888, or 416-314-2447 in the Greater Toronto Area.

What's My Job in Court?

The Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) has created an activity book for children aged six to 12 who must go to court as victims or witnesses.

The booklet called What's My Job in Court?, helps to familiarize children with the court process. It contains information about the courthouse and courtroom staff, a glossary of court-related terms, as well as activities and games.

To obtain a free copy, contact the Ontario Victim Services Secretariat at 416-325-3265 (they accept collect calls), or write to:

Ministry of the Attorney General
Ontario Victim Services Secretariat
Victim / Witness Assistance Program
18 King Street East, 7th Floor
Toronto, ON M5C 1C4

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Child Victim / Witness Program

The Child Victim / Witness Program offers support and services to child victims and witnesses during the criminal court process. The community-based program offers a number of services, including:

• Assessing children’s needs in court
• Preparing children for court
• Communicating with Crown attorneys, defence lawyers and judges
• Accompanying children to court
• Support for parents and guardians
• Help with victim impact statements and other forms
• Service referrals
• Post-court follow-ups

Starting in 2008/09, we will be providing $1.3 million for Child Victim/Witness Centres across the province. These Centres offer court assistance to children who are victims or witnesses of violent crime.

To find the Child Victim / Witness Program nearest you, please use our online Victim Services Directory or call the Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888, or 416-314-2447 in the Greater Toronto Area.

In areas where a Child Victim / Witness Program is not available, the Victim / Witness Assistance Program provides similar services.

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Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Counselling Program

The Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Counselling Program provides short-term, immediate counselling for child victims of Internet sexual exploitation. A victim’s immediate family members may also be eligible.

For more information, please refer to the ICE brochure or contact:

Internet Child Exploitation Counselling Program
Ontario Victim Services Secretariat
18 King Street East, 7th Floor
Toronto, ON  M5C 1C4
Tel: 1-888-579-2888 or (416) 326-2430
Fax: (416) 235-4494
E-mail: ice@ontario.ca

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Domestic Violence Court Program

Ontario's Domestic Violence Court (DVC) program is the most comprehensive and extensive of its kind in Canada. The DVC program has specialized processes for domestic violence cases during the investigation and prosecution.

Teams of specialized professionals work together to help stop the cycle of domestic violence, improve support for victims and investigate and prosecute cases more efficiently. DVC teams include:

• Police
• Crown attorneys
• Victim / Witness Assistance Program staff
• Probation services
• Partner Assault Response program staff
• Other community agencies

The DVC program is available in every court jurisdiction in the province. To find the location nearest you, please use our online Victim Services Directory or call the Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888, or 416-314-2447 in the Greater Toronto Area.

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Partner Assault Response Programs

Partner Assault Response (PAR) programs, a component of Ontario’s Domestic Violence Court program, are specialized counselling and educational services offered by community-based agencies to people who have assaulted their partners. Some offenders are ordered to attend the PAR program by the court. PAR programs aim to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable for their behaviour.

The 16-week long program gives offenders the opportunity to examine their beliefs and attitudes towards domestic abuse, and to learn non-abusive ways of resolving conflict.

While an offender is in the PAR program, staff offer the victim help with safety planning, referrals to community resources, and information about the offender's progress.

To find the PAR office nearest you, call the Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888, or 416-314-2447 in the Greater Toronto Area.

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