Victim Compensation and Victim Rights

What is victim compensation?

Victim compensation is money that the government gives people who are victims of crimes to help them recover. For example, if someone hurt you and you had the go to the hospital, and the person who hurt you was charged with a crime, you could get victim compensation to pay for your hospital stay and other things you had to pay for because of your injury.

Why might I be able to get victim compensation?

If you were injured physically or mentally, are experiencing financial hardship, and/or had to move as a result of a crime, you may be able to use victim compensation to help you recover. Keep reading to learn more.

What kinds of things can you use victim compensation for?

You can use victim compensation to pay for medical bills, therapy/counseling, transportation, lost wages if you had to miss work, and more. If you had to move because of domestic violence, sexual battery, or human trafficking, you may be able to use victim compensation to cover the costs of your move

What do I have to do to get victim compensation?

To be eligible for victim compensation, you must:

• Report the crime to the police in a timely manner. If the crime was not reported timely, you must explain why there was a delay.
• Submit an application to the Bureau of Victim Compensation. The application must be submitted timely or you must explain why there was a delay. There are special rules if the crime happened when you were under 18.
• Submit proper documentation, such as bills, receipts, and/or statements, with your application.
• Cooperate with police and prosecutors. (Note: You do not need to know the identity of the person who committed the crime in order to receive victim compensation.)
• Have documentation of the crime. You can contact the police or the State Attorney’s Office for help getting this documentation.

How can I apply for victim compensation?

To find forms and information on how to apply for victim compensation, you can go to https://www.myfloridalegal.com/victim-compensation or contact the Crime Victims’ Services Office at VCIntake@MyFloridaLegal.com or (800)226-6667. The form contains instructions and you can find it here: https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/2025.applicationclaimform.bvc100.pdf

Many people need help when applying for victim compensation. To get help, you can contact the Victim Assistance Unit of the State Attorney’s Office that is prosecuting your case. If you are a survivor of domestic violence, sexual abuse, or human trafficking, you can also contact your local domestic violence or rape crisis center for help.

What is restitution?

Restitution is money that a judge can order your trafficker to pay if he or she is found guilty of a crime. Usually, this is to pay the survivor back for things like medical bills, therapy/counseling, transportation, and lost wages if you had to miss work or were not able to work because you were the victim of a crime. In trafficking cases, restitution can also be money to make up for the work you did for the trafficker, or it can be money that the trafficker made by taking advantage of you.

How do I get restitution?

In some kinds of cases, the judge has to order restitution. In other cases, the judge might order restitution if the prosecution asks for it. If you think you should get restitution, you can tell the prosecutor on the case. (Prosecutors are also commonly referred to as State Attorney, District Attorney, Attorney General, or U.S. Attorney.) It is important to tell the prosecutor before the case goes to trial or the defendant takes a plea deal.

What are my rights as a victim of a crime?

If you are the victim in a criminal case, you have the following rights:

• The right to be treated fairly and with respect
• The right to be safe from bullying, threats, or harm
• The right to be protected from the person who committed the crime during the case
• The right for your safety and your family’s safety to be considered by the judge when setting bail
• The right to keep your personal information private so the person who committed the crime cannot find or harass you
• The right to be told about court dates, to speak during court hearings, and to tell the judge how the crime affected you. You can submit a Victim Impact Statement before the sentencing hearing.
• The right to get updates about when the person who committed the crime is found guilty or not guilty, released, etc.
• The right to get your belongings back once they are no longer needed for evidence
• The right to restitution or victim compensation (see above)
• The right to have the case resolved without unnecessary delays

Police or the State Attorney’s Office should tell you about these rights. You have the right to seek help from a lawyer so you can understand and exercise these rights.

What extra rights do I have as the victim of a sexual offense?

Testifying: If you are the victim of a sexual offense and are testifying, you have the right to have everyone leave the courtroom except for those people who are parties to the case, their immediate families, attorneys and their secretaries, officers of the court, jurors, newspaper reporters or broadcasters, and court reporters. If you have a victim advocate, they can also stay in the courtroom to support you if you want them to.

If you are under the age of 16 and testifying about a sexual offense, the judge must clear the courtroom (except for the people listed above) regardless of whether or not you request it.

If you are 16 or older and testifying about a sexual offense, the judge must clear the courtroom (except for the people listed above) if you request it.

Polygraphs (aka “Lie Detectors”): Police and prosecutors are not allowed to ask you to submit to a polygraph or other truth-telling device before they will investigate. If you refuse to submit to a polygraph or truth-telling device, that cannot be used as a reason for police or prosecutors to not move forward with the case. Forensic Medical Evaluation: You have the right to get a forensic medical exam (a medical exam done to collect evidence of sexual assault) even if you don’t report the sexual assault to the police.  You can decline any part of the exam or stop the exam at any time. You have the right to have an advocate from a rape crisis center with you during the exam. These advocates are required to protect your confidentiality and are available even if you don’t report to law enforcement. You can call 1-888-956-7273 to be connected to local crisis services for sexual assault.

FosterPower provides information on the benefits, protections, and legal rights of children in Florida’s foster care system and does not include opinions. FosterPower is a non-partisan and independent project that is not affiliated with a government agency or organization. FosterPower is updated frequently, but you should always verify the law independently to ensure it is current.