Use of Victim Service Agencies by Victims of Serious Violent Crime, 1993-2009. Special Report

摘要

From 1993 to 2009, an average of 9% of victims of serious violent crimerape or other sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assaultreceived assistance from a victim service agency. Victim service agencies are publicly or privately funded organizations that provide victims with support and services to aid their physical and emotional recovery, offer protection from future victimizations, guide them through the criminal justice system process, and assist them in obtaining restitution. Data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) reveal no measurable change in the percentage of serious violent crime victims age 12 or older who received help or advice from a victim service agency in 1993 and 2009. However, because the serious violent crime rate declined in the United States during this period, a smaller number of serious violent crime victims received assistance in 2009 than in 1993. From 2000 to 2009, the majority of victims of serious violent crime did not receive assistance from a victim service agency. A greater percentage of female victims of serious violent crime (15%), victims of intimate partner violence (23%), and victims who suffered an injury (15%) received assistance from a victim service agency, compared to male serious violent crime victims (6%); victims of crimes by a stranger, acquaintance, or relative (8%); and victims who were not injured during the offense (7%).