Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul

Chicago — Attorney General Kwame Raoul today recognized National Crime Victims’ Rights Week by highlighting the work of his office’s Violence Prevention and Crime Victim Services Division and the services available for victims.

Since taking office, Raoul has strengthened the Violence Prevention and Crime Victim Services Division by expanding access to crime victim services and implementing a trauma-informed, more victim-centric approach to assisting survivors and families. Raoul was also presented with the “Champion of Victims’ Rights” award by Marsy’s Law for Illinois on Friday for the work he and his office do to help ensure crime victims can exercise the rights available to them under the state’s victims’ rights constitutional amendment, known as Marsy’s Law.

“It is incumbent on all of us to wrap our arms around survivors of violent crime in our communities,” Raoul said. “We want survivors to know we are here for them, and we have resources to assist. The programs provided by my office’s Violence Prevention and Crime Victim Services Division help survivors access the tools they need to overcome trauma and get their lives back on track. My office remains committed to supporting survivors and doing all we can to prevent violent crime in Illinois.”

The Illinois Crime Victims Compensation Program provides reimbursement to eligible victims of violent crime and their families, helping to pay expenses, including hospital and medical charges, funeral and burial costs, relocation expenses, lost wages related to a crime and more.  

Raoul has also taken steps to streamline the application process, remove obstacles that historically prevented survivors in need from qualifying for assistance, and initiated legislation that expanded eligibility for both who can apply and what individuals can be reimbursed for. The office now processes over 5,000 compensation claims each year, recommending an average of $600,000 in compensation each month.

The office awards grants to support agencies that empower survivors to heal, seek justice and regain control of their lives. Last fiscal year, the office provided more than $17 million in grant funding to over 280 agencies serving approximately 88,500 individuals throughout the state.

The office’s Statewide Victim Assistance Program also provides assistance to victims, witnesses and service providers across Illinois.

The Attorney General’s office developed the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Program with assistance from the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault using a grant from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. SANEs are crucial in ensuring that individuals who have been sexually assaulted receive evidence-based, trauma-informed, patient-centered medical forensic services. These specially-trained nurses reduce the retraumatization of patients, address patients’ medical concerns and improve the quality of evidence collection, which can lead to better prosecution and conviction rates. 

SANE staff trained over 700 individuals last year at 19 training courses held throughout the state. The program has increased the number of providers qualified to do sexual assault forensic exams by approving 123 new qualified medical providers in 2025, and 40 new providers have already been approved in 2026.

The Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) provides survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, and members of their households, with a substitute address to use as home, school and work addresses. The program has more than 550 participants with an average of 1,600 pieces of mail processed by the division each month.

The office also educates community members about their rights and provides training on crime victims’ rights for law enforcement, prosecutors and the advocacy community, with over 500 individuals trained last year. In addition, the office investigates complaints of crime victims’ rights violations, making recommendations that prompt change in various agencies throughout the state.

The Violence Prevention and Crime Victim Services Division maintains a toll-free Crime Victims Assistance Line and fielded more than 9,600 calls last year. Raoul encourages victims who have questions to call the hotline at 800-228-3368, and visit his office’s website for more information on programs administered by the division.