Learn more about the laws and practices that apply to clients who are survivors of crime. For all survivors, see Rights of crime victims and witnesses.
Dealing with creditors
Dealing with work
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) rights for families
- How to get your unpaid wages
- Request time off from work due to domestic violence
- Taking time off work for illness
- Workplace discrimination
Domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking
- Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) Fact Sheets
- Enforcing an Order of Protection
- Getting a Civil No Contact Order for sexual assault
- Getting a Firearms Restraining Order against someone
- Getting a Stalking No Contact Order
- Getting an Order of Protection for domestic violence
- Guardianship of an adult
- Housing protections for domestic and sexual violence victims
- Safety plan for domestic violence victims
- Self-defense
- Sexual assault in universities
- Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA)
- What is the difference between assault and battery?
Elder abuse and neglect
Getting public benefits
- Medicaid and general assistance
- SNAP benefits calculator for lawyers
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Gun violence
Human trafficking and immigration
- Tool for the identification of victims of human trafficking
- Victims of human trafficking and other crimes
- Visas for victims of crime (U/T/VAWA)
- Human Trafficking 101
- Human Trafficking 101 (Spanish)
Medical care and costs
Protection for children & minors
Training Videos
View these videos designed for advocates helping clients and survivors.
Domestic abuse & sexual assault
- Consumer law for survivors
- Disability Rights Consortium: Trauma-informed advocacy
- Education rights of survivors
- Employment rights of survivors
- Effective services for victims with mental health impairments
- Help for domestic violence victims in public housing
- Housing law for survivors
- How to get an Order of Protection
- No Contact Orders and the Gender Violence Act
- Parenting, support, and divorce
- Privacy and confidentiality in victim services
- Seeking a Plenary Order of Protection: what to expect in court
- Trauma-informed advocacy: Practical advice for working with vulnerable populations
Elder abuse
Getting public benefits
Gun violence
Human trafficking
- Immigration remedies for survivors of human trafficking
- Introduction to human trafficking for service providers
Protection for children & minors
Many people impacted by crime experience trauma. Learn more about trauma-informed care:
- Awareness of trauma-informed care
- Confidentiality of people diagnosed with mental illness
- How to work with a survivor of human trafficking
- Improving communications with pro bono clients
- The Trauma Informed Care Project
- Working with diverse client populations
- Understanding vicarious trauma as a victim service provider
Lawyer Manuals
U Visa
- Pro Bono Attorney Manual on Immigration Relief for Crime Victims: U Visas
- Appendices for Pro Bono Attorney Manual on Immigration Relief for Crime Victims: U Visas
- Overview of Pro Bono Representation in a U Visa
- U Visa Frequently Asked Questions
- ICE Guidance to Field Office Directors on Adjudicating Stay Requests Filed by U Visa Applicants (PDF , September 2009)
- USCIS Interim Memo on Age-Out Protection for Derivative U Visa Holders (PDF, December 2012)
- NIJC Practice Advisory: U Visa Inadmissibility Waivers in Removal Proceedings (PDF, December 2017)
VAWA
- Pro Bono Attorney Manual on Legal Immigration Protections for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence (May 2019)
- Appendices for Pro Bono Attorney Manual on Legal Immigration Protections for Immigrant Survivors of Domestic Violence (November 2013)
- Overview of Pro Bono Representation in a VAWA Self Petition
- VAWA Frequently Asked Questions
- USCIS Draft Memo on Eligibility for Employment Authorization upon Approval of a VAWA Self-Petition (December 2012)
Other
- Bankruptcy
- Children’s law
- Post-judgment debt collections
- Repossession
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Support and self-care for advocates
To effectively advocate for your clients, remember to take care of yourself:
- 10 best yoga poses for stress relief
- 45 simple self-care practices for a healthy mind, body, and soul
- Compassion fatigue and burnout
- Coping with stress at work
- Job burnout: how to spot it and take action
- The importance of self-care (9 short TED talks)
About VLAN
Victim Legal Assistance Network (VLAN) began in Illinois as a partnership of Cook County service providers devoted to ensuring that victims (survivors) of crime obtain the services they need.
VLAN connects a diverse range of providers who work together to offer a broad spectrum of legal and non-legal support services that are essential to helping victims (survivors) recover.
VLAN is a project working to reduce the burden on victims (survivors) by creating a one-stop shop to access all of the services they need to rebuild their lives.
Make a referral to VLAN
Does your client need services that your organization does not provide? Here’s how to make a referral to the Victims Legal Assistance Network (VLAN).