You have the right to decide whether or not you want to report the assault to the police. You have the right to have your conversations with sexual assault counselors/advocates remain confidential and not be used in court unless you give permission for them to be used. If you are involved in a court case, you have the right to have your name and address remain confidential from people not involved in your case and released only by order of the court. You have the right not to have your name, address, or phone number disclosed in the courtroom during any court proceeding involving the prosecution of your case. You have the right not to have your present or past sexual conduct brought up during a trial involving your case unless a court, after a hearing, decides that it is strongly related to the trial.
Crime victims and their families have the right to: be treated with fairness and respect throughout the criminal justice process; have the case heard and resolved in a fair and reasonable amount of time; be reasonably protected from the offender throughout the criminal justice process; receive notification of court proceedings; attend the trial and all other court proceedings; communicate with the prosecution; have the opportunity to support or disagree with any agreement between the prosecutor and the offender about the charges and sentence, and to make a statement to the court before it accepts the agreement; make a statement to the court at sentencing; be given information about the arrest, conviction, sentence, imprisonment, and release of the offender; restitution.
Learn more about your rights under Connecticut law.
Victim Compensation
You may be eligible to receive compensation for some of the expenses you incurred as a direct result of a sexual assault: lost wages, medical costs, private counseling expenses, and more. Connecticut’s Office of Victim Services has caring, compassionate, and knowledgeable staff that can help you through the OVS Victim Compensation Program process.
They can be reached at 1-888-286-7347.
Learn more about victim compensation.
Address Confidentiality
The Address Confidentiality Program (ACP), formerly known as the Safe at Home program, is available for Connecticut residents who are or have been victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. ACP provides a free mail-forwarding service to keep new addresses safe and private. ACP applications are processed by the Office of the Secretary of the State.