For more than 40 years, the mission of supporting victims has been entrusted to the non-profit sector in France.
The Federation France Victimes is composed of a network, across mainland France and its overseas territories, of 130 victim support associations that provide multidisciplinary and professional support to all victims of all criminal offences, including but not limited to victims of violence, rape, harassment, threats, property offences, robbery, fraud, traffic accidents, terrorist attacks, or natural disasters.
The services of the France Victimes associations are free of charge and confidential, they provide assistance in identifying victims’ issues (feelings of isolation, psychological suffering, lack of knowledge of their rights, etc.), psychological support (emotional trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, support throughout the procedure, etc.), information related to victims’ rights and how to assert them (judicial organisations, procedures, preparation, compensation mechanisms, etc.), social support, and referring victims to specialised services as necessary (lawyers, medical and psychosocial services, insurance, etc.).
Visit France Victimes’ website or contact them directly to find a victim support association close to where you live. Other specialised associations can intervene in the care of certain victims (e.g. women victims of domestic violence, child victims, victims of terrorism or of collective accidents etc).
Euro
Currency
French
Official Language
112
General Emergency Number
15
Medical Emergency
17
Police
18
Fire Brigade
114
Emergency Number for the deaf & hard of hearing
Victim Support Helpline & Support at a Distance
The National Support Victim Helpline
The national victim support helpline, 116 006 (accessible from France), is free of charge and available 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. This is an EU-wide number which can be reached from abroad by dialling +33 (0)1 80 52 33 76.
The professionals working on this helpline provide a sympathetic ear, answer victims’ questions, and refer them to the most appropriate structures to meet their needs.
Rights of victims of crime in France
Victims of crime have a set of rights which they can exercise in order to meet their needs and defend their interests and expectations. Victims have, amongst others, the right to information, protection and compensation. These rights are set out not only in French national laws but also in international legal instruments, such as the European Union Directive which establishes the minimum standards on the rights, support, and protection of victims of crime.
Learn more about your rights at:
infovictimes.fr
