Crime Victims
What happens to victims of crime after they make a police report?
Texas requires all police departments to have a Crime Victims Liaison to assist and work with crime victims. Oftentimes, the victim wants to know what will happen next and the liaison is available to answer those questions.
The goal of the Crime Victims Liaison is to assists victims of crime, protect and advocate the rights of victims, provide necessary information, and prevent further victimization. The liaison informs victims about police and judicial procedures, campus and community resources, and available programs that will assist victims during the aftermath of a crime.
The liaison also assist crime victims in determining their eligibility for financial assistance. The Crime Victims' Compensation Fund - paid out of court costs generated by criminal convictions – provides assistance with medical bills, counseling, lost wages, funeral expenses and other crime related expenses without any cost to taxpayers.
Contact Information:Cpt. Melissa Perkins
(361) 825-3791
As a victim of a violent crime, as the guardian of a victim, or as the close relative of a deceased victim, you have certain rights in the Texas criminal justice system. Among these are:
- The right to PROTECTION from harm and threats of harm arising from cooperation with prosecution efforts;
- The right to have your SAFETY, and that of your family, taken into consideration when bail is being considered;
- The right to be INFORMED about court proceedings, including cancellations or rescheduling upon request;
- The right to INFORMATION about procedures in criminal investigations and in the criminal justice system;
- The right to receive INFORMATION about the Texas Crime Victims Compensation Fund and referral to available social service agencies;
- The right to provide INFORMATION to a probation department conducting a pre-sentence investigation about the impact of the offense upon you and your family;
- The right to have the law enforcement agency that requests a medical examination of a victim of an alleged sexual assault PAY all costs of the examination only;
- The right to be NOTIFIED about parole proceedings, to participate in the parole process, and to be notified of the inmate's release;
- The right to be PRESENT at all public court proceedings related to the offense, if the presiding judge approves;
- The right to a SAFE waiting area before and during court proceedings;
- The right to prompt RETURN of any property that is no longer needed as evidence;
- The right to have the prosecutor NOTIFY your employer that the need for your testimony may involve your absence from work;
- The right to COMPLETE a Victim Impact Statement, detailing the impact of the offense upon you and your family, and to have that statement considered during sentencing and any parole action;
- The right to COUNSELING, on request, regarding AIDS and HIV infection and testing for AIDS and HIV related infections, if the offense is a sexual offense or sexual assault.
NOTE: Article 56 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure states: "A judge, attorney for the state, peace officer, or law enforcement agency is not liable for a failure or inability to provide a right enumerated in this article."
As a student at a college or university, you have basic rights when it comes to being the victim of a sexual assault on campus. The United States Congress enacted this Bill of Rights in 1992. Therefore, all colleges and universities participating in federal student aid programs are required to afford sexual assault victims certain basic rights.
- Accuser and accused must have the same opportunity to have others present.
- Both parties shall be informed of the outcome of any disciplinary proceeding.
- Survivors shall be informed of their options to notify law enforcement.
- Survivors shall be notified of counseling services.
- Survivors shall be notified of options for changing academic and living situations.
What is a protective order?
A protective order is a civil court order that is designed to stop violent and harassing behavior and to protect you and your family members from an abuser. Abusers who violate certain parts of a protective order can be arrested.How can a protective order help me?
The purpose of a protective order is to prevent future assaults by your partner. The protective order will usually make it illegal for him/her to be near you, your children, your home, your workplace, and your children's school. Then you can call the police for help when he/she is where he/she is not supposed to be and the police can intervene before he/she assaults you or your children again.
A protective order may order your abuser to:
- Stop committing acts of family or dating violence.
- Stop communicating with you or a family member.
- Stop threatening you or a family member.
- Stay away from your home or place of employment.
- Stay away from a school or day center that a child protected under the order attends.
- Complete a battering intervention and prevention program.
- Attend mandatory counseling.
- Not remove your child from your possession or from the jurisdiction of the court or to allow you visitation with your child.
- Stop any transfer or disposal of property.
- Stop any other behavior designed to harass, annoy, abuse, or embarrass you.
- Pay child or spousal support for a period up to two years.
- Leave your home or other specified property (if certain conditions are met).
- Turn over any firearms in his/her possession to law enforcement (unless the person is a peace officer actively engaged in employment as a sworn, full-time paid employee of a state agency).
- Perform any other acts that are necessary to prevent or reduce the likelihood of family or dating violence.
Who is eligible for a protective order?
You can apply for a protective order if your abuser is one of the following:
- A current or former spouse
- A sibling (brother or sister)
- A blood relative such as a parent
- A relative by marriage (an in-law)
- A person with whom you have a child in common
- A current roommate
- A former roommate
- A foster parent
- A foster child
- A person who you are dating or have dated
A person who has a divorce pending is eligible for a protective order. The protective order must be filed in the court in which the divorce is pending. You may also be able to get a protective order against someone who has sexually assaulted you even if they are not a family or household member (like a co-worker or neighbor).
What does it cost to get a protective order?
Nothing, a protective order is free. You cannot be charged a fee for filing, serving, or entering a protective order. The court may order that your abuser pay any attorney fees (if applicable), and all other fees, charges, or expenses incurred in connection with the protective order.
What types of protective orders are available?
In Texas there are three types of Orders of Protection:
- Magistrate’s Order of Emergency Protection
- Temporary Ex Parte Order
- Permanent Protective Order
What is a Magistrate’s Order of Emergency Protection? How long does it last?
A Magistrate's Order of Emergency Protection (what most people call an Emergency Protective Order). These are called different things in different parts of the state.
They are good for 31-61 days.
If you partner has been arrested for a family violence assault, you must ask for this before he/she is released from jail.
What is a Temporary Ex Parte Order? How long does it last?
A Temporary Ex Parte Order is a court order designed to provide you and your family members with immediate protection from your abuser. In order to get a Permanent Protective Order, you need to have a full court hearing with your abuser present. A Temporary Ex Parte Order will protect you from the time you file for the Permanent Protective Order until your full court hearing.
You may receive a Temporary Ex Parte Order without your abuser present.
The court can issue a Temporary Ex Parte Order if it decides that the information given in your application for a protective order presents a clear and present danger of family violence to either you or a family member.
A Temporary Ex Parte Order lasts for the period of time specified in the order, usually until the date of your full court hearing. In most places the court will schedule a date for a formal hearing no later than the 14th day after the date the application is filed
What is a Permanent (or Final) Protective Order? How long does it last?
A Permanent (or Final) Protective Order is a court order that is designed to stop violent and harassing behavior and to protect you and your family from the abuser.
A Permanent Protective Order is effective for the time period specified in the order up to a maximum of 2 years. If there is no time period specified in the order, then it expires on the second anniversary of the date the order was issued.
If the Respondent is still incarcerated on the date that the protective order is set to expire, then the expiration date is extended for one year from his date of release.
The Crime Victims' Compensation program is available to assist victims of violent crime with expenses associated with the crime. In order to receive financial assistance from the fund, victims must complete an application for benefits. The fund is able to pay for a variety of expenses including:
- medical, hospital, physical therapy or nursing care
- psychiatric care or counseling
- loss of earnings or support
- loss of wages due to participation in, or attendance at, the investigation, prosecutorial and judicial processes, and travel
- care of a child or a dependent
- funeral and burial expenses
- crime scene clean-up
- replacement costs for clothing, bedding, or property seized as evidence or rendered unusable as a result of the investigation
- reasonable attorney fees for assistance in filing the Crime Victims' Compensation application and in obtaining benefits, if the claim is approved
- loss of wages and travel to seek medical treatment
- one time relocation expenses for domestic violence victims or for those sexual assault victims attacked in their own residence
In the case of catastrophic injuries resulting in a total and permanent disability, the victim may be eligible for $75,000 in benefits for:
- making a home or car accessible
- job training and vocational rehabilitation
- training in the use of special appliances
- home health care
- reimbursement of lost wages
Reimbursement for property damage or theft is not an eligible expense
The amount of compensation available for crimes that occur after September 1, 1997, is $50,000. Crimes that occurred before that date have a $25,000 maximum.
What victims may qualify?
- An innocent victim of crime who suffers physical and/or emotional harm or death
- an authorized individual acting on behalf of a victim
- a person who legally assumes the obligations or voluntarily pays certain expenses related to the crime on behalf of the victim
- a dependent of a victim
- an immediate family member or household members related by blood or marriage who require psychiatric care or counseling as a result of the crime
- an bystander who goes to the aid of the victim or a peace officer
- a peace officer, fire fighter, or individual whose employment includes the duty of protecting the public
For more information you may contact:
Texas Attorney General
Crime Victim Services Division
1-800-983-9933
What is Sexual Assault?
Sexual Assault (Rape) is a non-consensual sexual act involving force, manipulation, or coercion. It is an act of aggression, violence, and power and is a felony crime under Texas Penal Code 22.011. The perpetrator can be either a stranger, acquaintance, relative, or date.
What you should know:
● A person can not give consent to sexual activity if impaired by any amount of alcohol or drugs.
● Most perpetrators are known by the victim.
● Sexual assault is not about sex, it is about power and control.
● Most rapists look for available, vulnerable targets, not people who dress or behave in a particular way.
● No person ever “asks” to be hurt or degraded under any circumstance.
● It can happen to anyone regardless of age, race or gender.
What to do if you are a victim of Sexual Assault:
● Go to a safe place as soon as you can. If you are at your residence, secure all doors and windows.
● If sexually assaulted on campus notify the University Police Department (825-4444). If sexually assaulted off campus notify the appropriate law enforcement agency.
● Seek medical attention.
● Preserve all evidence if possible (do not bathe, douche, wash hands, brush teeth, change clothes or linens, eat or drink).
● Seek counseling either on campus of off campus.
What is Dating Violence?
The term “dating violence” is violence committed by a person against another person with whom he or she has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the length of the relationship, the type of relationship and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.
How do I know if I am in a violent relationship?
● Dating violence includes one or more of the following:
● Physical Abuse – hitting, choking, pushing, threats of physical violence and more.
● Emotional Abuse – constant threats, criticism, jealous behavior and trying to isolate you from friends and family.
● Sexual Abuse – sexual assault, pressure to perform sex acts, and sexual harassment.
What to do:
● Report incidents of abuse to the police.
● Document all incidents of abuse.
● Photograph all marks, bruises or any other type of injuries.
● Alert family and friends of the abuse.
● Seek counseling.
What is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination based on sex. It is defined as unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, which includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual violence, which includes sexual assault, sexual battery and sexual coercion, is a form of sexual harassment.
What if I am a victim or witness?
Any member of the campus community (faculty, staff or student) who witnesses, are subject to, or are informed about incidents of sexual harassment should contact the University Police Department (825-4444) and the university’s Title IX Coordinator, Mr. Samuel Ramirez (825-2765).
What is stalking?
A stalker tries to control his or her victim through behavior or threats intended to intimidate or terrify. A stalker can be an unknown person, an acquaintance, or a former intimate partner. A stalker’s state of mind can range from obsessive love to obsessive hatred and should be considered potentially dangerous.
How do I know if I am being stalked?
The stalker may on more than one occasion:
● Follow the victim or the victim’s family or household members;
● Make threatening phone calls or send threatening messages or mail;
● Drive by or park near the victim’s home, place of employment or school;
● Do damage to the victim’s property
What do I need to do if I am being stalked?
● If you are being stalked on campus notify the University Police Department (825-4444) if you are being stalked off campus notify the appropriate law enforcement agency.
● Keep a diary of each incident.
● Keep all correspondence
● Record telephone conversations.
● Take or obtain a picture of the stalker.
● Tell family and friends you are being stalked.
● Obtain a protective order.
On Campus Resources
University Police Department | 825-4444
UPD Crime Victims Liaison - Lt. Melissa Wright | 825-3791
University Counseling Center | 825-2703
University Health Center | 825-2601
Student Engagement and Success | 825-2612
Title IX Coordinator - Rosie Ruiz | 825-2765
Off Campus Resources
Corpus Christi Police Department | 886-2600
Nueces County Protective Order Unit | 888-0391
Sexual Assault & Family Violence Prevention Center (Women’s Shelter) | 881-8888
Family Violence Hotline | 800-777-3247
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) | 800-656-4673
Victim Information and Notification Everyday (V.I.N.E.) | 800-511-1690