Here are some examples of how VRLC may be able to help.
We can work with you to try to keep your personal information private.
If something is private, you might not want other people knowing it. In a criminal case, the person who hurt you will have a lawyer. That lawyer may try to get your private information. This could be information your doctor, school, or someone else has about you. We may be able to help keep your personal information private.
We can talk about how to protect your privacy in all areas of your life, such as at school, work, a program, and in the courts.
If you have a legal case in court or a hearing at your school, you may be worried about whether someone will be able to talk or ask about your sexual history without your permission. This depends on the kind of legal case that you have, the issues in the case, and what the person who is deciding the case wants to hear about. Different rules apply in different kinds of cases. Please call us if you are worried about this happening.
We can also talk to you about how to keep your information private online.
If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you may feel unsafe.
You may want a restraining order from a court. That order would say that the person who hurt you must stay away from you and not hurt you again.
Not following the order is also called violating the restraining order. If the person who hurt you violates the restraining order, if you call the police, they may be arrested. The person who hurt you may also have to go to court on criminal charges for violating the order.
VRLC may be able to help you ask a court for a restraining order. We may also be able to help you talk to the judge when you go to court for a restraining order.
Getting a restraining order does not guarantee that the person who hurt you will stay away from you. If the person who hurt you ignores the order, you may need to also try other safety measures. VRLC can help you think about safety planning.
In Massachusetts, there are two kinds of restraining orders:
In Oregon, there are four kinds of restraining orders:
For more information, see our Oregon Civil Restraining Orders Chart.
VRLC helps students in preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school who have been sexually assaulted in both Massachusetts and Oregon.
VRLC helps college and university students who have been sexually assaulted in both Massachusetts and Oregon.
Victim Rights Law Center has attorneys who speak Spanish in our Massachusetts and Oregon offices. We use interpreters for other languages.
Please call us to talk with an immigration lawyer about what kind of help might be right for you.
If you were a victim of sexual assault, you may now have problems with where you live. This could mean that you don’t feel safe or that the person you pay your rent to wants you to leave. There are different things you can do to try to fix these problems.
Many survivors experience homelessness. Together with Transition Projects, VRLC has created a know-your-rights video for women experiencing homelessness. Please click here to watch Surviving Sexual Violence on the Streets: A know-your-rights film for women experiencing homelessness.
A sexual assault can make things difficult for someone at work.
How VRLC can help:
If you have been sexually assaulted, you may feel overwhelmed by worrying about money or how you will pay your bills. These are some of the compensation and benefits programs we may be able to help you access:
Each state has its own Victims Compensation program. You can apply to the Victims Compensation program in your state to be reimbursed for costs or loss that happened because of the sexual assault.
Some examples of what Victims Compensation programs may pay for are medical and dental bills, therapy costs, or lost wages. You can apply for Victim Compensation no matter how much money you make and no matter what your citizenship status is.
The applications for the Victims Compensation programs are available here for Massachusetts and Oregon. If you would like help with Victims Compensation or have any questions about this program, please call us.
For Victim Compensation programs in other states, please see the National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards.
Transgender survivors can legally change their name and/or their gender on an identity document (like a Social Security card or passport). This is something VRLC is able to help with.
Information and step-by-step instructions for a Name-Sex Change Petition in Oregon in each of Oregon’s 36 counties can be found here.
VRLC staff may be able to give advice about the process, help fill out and file the forms, and in some cases provide representation in court (if necessary). VRLC may also be able to pay certain ID change fees.*
*Our services are always free. VRLC can assist with fee payments while dedicated funding remains available.
For information about the Trans ID project in Oregon, please call (503) 274-5477 x32.
For information about help with name change and/or gender change petitions in Massachusetts, please call our MA intake line: (617) 399-6720 x19.
A criminal case happens when the person who hurt you is charged with, or accused of, a crime in court. You may hear the place or system where the criminal cases happen called The Criminal Justice System or The Justice System.
If you want a criminal case to begin against the person who hurt you, usually the first thing to do is report what happened to you to the police. If you want to talk about a criminal case or ask how to report to police, you can call VRLC.
Who’s who in the Criminal Justice System?
No matter where you are in the criminal process, you may contact a VRLC attorney to talk about your options.
If you are a child survivor of sexual abuse, we may be able to help you. You would be the client, and we would be your lawyer. Here are some things you should know: