Why the Fair Access to Victim Compensation Act should be signed into law

In the aftermath of a violent incident, survivors and their families often need financial support. Across the country, survivors can apply to a state agency for victim compensation, which covers hospital bills, trauma treatment, lock changes, and other critical needs related to their victimization. However, in New York state, to be eligible for victim compensation, survivors must first report the incident to law enforcement, a systemic barrier for many survivors. We urge Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the Fair Access to Victim Compensation Act into law, ensuring that all survivors have fair access to these vital resources. 

As the nation’s largest nonprofit victim services organization, helping 250,000 New Yorkers who have experienced violence or abuse each year, Safe Horizon works with survivors who report crimes to the police as well as those who do not. The reasons someone may not report are many: some fear retaliation from the person who committed the crime, while others worry about possible immigration consequences of reporting, including deportation. Some survivors simply don't trust law enforcement to respond in a way that is safe and effective. These concerns are especially acute among Black and brown, LGBTQ+ and immigrant survivors. 

At Safe Horizon, we want all survivors - those who report to the police and those who don’t - to be able to access financial assistance through the state’s crime victim compensation fund. A letter from a victim services organization like Safe Horizon or an order of protection should be enough to allow a survivor to receive compensation for the abuse and resulting economic hardships they’ve already endured. =

The state Senate and Assembly understood this and passed the Fair Access to Victim Compensation Act this session. The law will allow a letter from a victim services organization like Safe Horizon or an order of protection to document the crime, so that survivors can receive compensation for the abuse and resulting economic hardships they’ve already endured. 

All survivors deserve access to healing and justice, not just those that report their experience to the police. Gov. Hochul, this is your opportunity to make that a reality. Sign the Fair Access to Victim Compensation Act into law.