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Crime Victim Resources
- Crisis Counseling
- Victim Rights
- Normal Reactions
- Crime Victims' Compensation
- Safety Planning
- Dynamics of Domestic Violence
- Protective Orders
Some suggestions for coping with an immediate crisis include:
- Try to get plenty of rest and/or sleep if you can.
- Eat nutritious meals, even if you have little appetite. Sometimes several small meals are easier than three large ones.
- Moderate exercise, such as walking, may help relieve some of the stress and may also help with appetite and sleep problems.
- Keep a journal, including writing about the experience and about your feelings and experiences afterward.
- Try to keep important information together, including names and dates of people that you have talked to about the case. Perhaps saved in a large envelope.
- Find a supportive friend or counselor who is willing to listen to you tell your story. You many need to tell the story repeatedly.
- Remember that children react differently to trauma than adults do. Children may be affected even if they were not directly involved in the crisis. Encourage children to talk, draw pictures, or act out the event with toys or role playing. Some regression is normal in children, but if you feel that the reaction is severe, you may want to seek counseling for the child.
The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure affords victims of crime several rights. To see what your rights are as a crime victim, please review the Code of Criminal Procedure, Title 1. Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 56 - Rights of Crime Victims, Subchapter A. Crime Victims' Rights.
Crime victims often suffer physical and psychological trauma as a result of experiencing an event that is beyond the scope of their everyday reality. Each person reacts to this trauma in his or her own way. Keep in mind that you are a normal person having normal reactions – the only thing that is abnormal is the situation you have just experienced.
Here are some of the reactions you might experience. Although any of the following reactions might occur, people differ in terms of the intensity and frequency of such reactions.
- Shock and numbness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Change in eating habits (not eating, over-eating)
- Confusion and difficulty focusing or concentrating
- Intrusive thoughts (thoughts that won’t go away, memories of the event)
- Anxiety and depression; increased fear level
- Anger & irritability
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Fatigue
- Dreams/nightmares
- Withdrawal and isolation
- Avoiding anything that reminds you of the event (attempting to “forget”)
- Hyper-vigilance (jumpy/nervous)
- Feeling powerless; loss of control
- Physical complaints (headaches, stomach aches, etc)
- Survivor guilt (guilt over feeling glad it wasn’t you or your family members)
Remember, there is no right or wrong way to react.
Things that might help:
- Try to return to your normal routine as much as possible.
- Do not make major decisions or changes right now (unless they are to ensure
- your safety).
- Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water.
- Get plenty of rest/sleep – consult your doctor if you have trouble sleeping.
- Talk about your feelings and concerns with family and friends.
- Don’t isolate yourself.
- Exercise, take a walk, do anything physical – you’ll sleep better.
- Avoid using alcohol; it can act as a depressant.
- Avoid overuse of caffeine; it is a stimulant and could increase anxiety
- The more you talk about how you’re feeling, the better you will feel.
- Seek the help of a professional who can help you deal with the effects of your
- experience.
The Victim Services Program is here to help you through this. Call (972) 721-6551 to schedule an appointment or to talk by phone.
Crime Victims Compensation is a program out of the Texas Attorney General’s Office that provides financial assistance to victims of violent crime for specified expenses. Some of the expenses covered by the program include:
- Medical expenses
- Therapy services
- Lost wages
- Loss of support
- Crime scene cleanup
If you are interested in the program, the Crime Victim Services unit can provide additional information and assistance in completing the application. Information is also available on the Attorney General’s website.
You have a right to be safe. Here are some ideas to help you and your loved ones stay safe:
- Identify a neighbor or friend who you can tell about the violence, and ask them to call 911 if they see or hear anything of concern.
- Have a plan for where you can go if you need to leave in an emergency.
- Keep a bag packed in an undisclosed location.
- Begin establishing your independence by doing job training, setting up a bank account, scheduling child care, etc.
- Find out about resources within your community such as shelters, police and counseling services.
- Be aware of your surroundings when you are going to and from work or home.
- Vary your daily routine.
- Keep a cellphone with you at all times.
- Plan to take personal identification, birth certificates, medications, address book, passport, driver’s license, money, insurance information, Social Security cards, school records and any other legal documentation that may be required or beneficial.
- If you need help developing a personal safety plan, contact the FAC staff at (972) 721-6560 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233 (toll-free).
Are you in an abusive relationship? Does someone you love:
- Embarrass you with put-downs or name-calling?
- Look or act in ways that scare you?
- Control what you do, who you see or talk to, or where you go?
- Take your money, or refuse to give you money?
- Make all of the decisions?
- Prevent you from working or attending school?
- Tell you the abuse is your fault, it’s not a big deal, or deny doing it?
- Destroy your property?
- Intimidate you with weapons?
- Shove, slap, choke or hit you?
- Threaten to kill you?
- Threaten to commit suicide?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be in an abusive relationship.
The Irving FAC is here to listen and help if you want it. Contact the FAC at (972) 721-6555.
- Protective orders.
- Assistance with the criminal justice process.
Orders of protection can be useful tools to keep someone who has been violent away from a victim. If you have an active protective order against someone and they violate it, contact police immediately. Make sure to inform the police that you have an active protective order. Provide a copy of the order to employers, daycare centers and schools.
Emergency Protective Orders
Emergency Protective Orders are police enforceable orders that can be obtained only when an offender is in jail on a domestic violence charge. The order may be requested by the victim, a police officer or a magistrate. The order can last from 31 days to 91 days, depending on the offense.
If you are a victim who wants an Emergency Protective Order and the offender is currently in the Irving Jail, call (972) 721-6560. After hours and on weekends, contact the Irving Jail to request an Emergency Protective Order.
Protective Orders
A protective order may be filed in Dallas County by an individual who has been assaulted or threatened in person within the last 90 days by someone they share an intimate relationship with, are related to or are dating. Protective orders are police enforceable and typically last for two years.
Contact the District Attorney’s Office at (214) 653-3528 for more information on the order. It is free to file for a Protective Order through the District Attorney’s Office. You can also view a resource guide (PDF) for information on the process to file for a protective order.
Restraining Orders
Restraining orders are civil orders that prevent an individual from coming within a certain distance of a location.
Contact Us
-
Supervisor
Phone: (972) 721-6550
Crime Victim Coordinator
Phone: (972) 721-6554
Domestic Violence Counselor
Phone: (972) 721-6552
Bilingual Counselor
Phone: (972) 721-6553
-
Information and Notification
To find out if an offender is in custody in a county jail, please call
(877) 894-8463
(toll-free).