Assistance and Information for Victims of Crime

As the victim of a crime, or a victim’s close friend or relative, you can receive help from a Crime Victims Assistance Centre (CAVAC), whether or not the crime has been reported to the police.

CAVAC services are confidential, and are provided free of charge.

The CAVAC website contains the contact information for many other services providing assistance for victims of crime.

The mission of Plaidoyer Victimes (PV) is to uphold and defend the collective rights and interests of persons who are victims of criminal offences and those close to them. It has compiled a directory of resources that includes links to many public bodies, government departments and community organizations operating at both the provincial and national levels.

The office of the director of criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP) and the AQPV have published a guide to support and protection measures to make it easier for victims to participate in the criminal justice process, under the title Faciliter la participation des victimes au processus judiciaire criminel : mesures d'accompagnement et de protection (PDF 4.76 Mb) (in French Only). In the guide, the information sheets presented by the two organizations describe measures

• to ensure victims’ safety;
• to protect their right to privacy;
• to make it easier for them to testify in court.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, you can Contact a professional with experience in speaking openly about suicide.

The Québec government makes emergency financial assistance available for victims of sexual or domestic violence who need to leave a dangerous environment quickly.

Commission of legal services - Rebâtir

Rebâtir offers victims of sexual or domestic violence a free legal consultation with a lawyer. The Rebâtir service offers 4 hours of free legal advice on all areas of law related to the violence suffered.  

Call the Commission of legal service - Rebâtir

• Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (with de possibility to leaving a message outside opening hours)
• 1 833-REBÂTIR

DPCP Helpline Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence

If you want to report a crime to the police or obtain information about the court process, or if you belong to an organization that supports victims of sexual or domestic violence, you can obtain answers to your question by talking to a specialized female prosecuting attorney on the DPCP Helpline Domestic Violence and Sexuel Violence.

The service is confidential and provided free of charge.

Call the DPCP Helpline Domestic Violence and Sexuel Violence

• Monday to Friday, 8:30  a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• 1 877 547‑3727

Victims of sexual violence

You can call the sexual violence helpline by dialling 1 888 933‑9007 to speak to a caseworker. The website for the helpline contains information for victims of sexual assault or sexual violence.

Juripop also offers confidential legal services free of charge to people who have experienced harassment or sexual violence in the workplace.

Other links to resources can be found on the following webpages:

• Help and resources on sexual assault
• Help and resources for victims of sexual exploitation

Victims of domestic violence

You can contact SOS Violence conjugale at 1 800 363‑9010 or via the organization’s website.

Other resources are listed on the webpage domestic violence webpage.

A range of resources exist for seniors and vulnerable people suffering mistreatment, including the Mistreatment Helpline at 1 888 489‑2287.

The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) provides information to prevent elder financial abuse.

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (CCCP) has developed programs and services and offers resources to

• combat the sexual abuse and exploitation of children;
• help locate missing children;
• prevent violence against children.

Cybertip.ca, set up by the CCCP, is Canada’s national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. It also provides assistance for various forms of online violence against children, including shared intimate images and online luring.

The Crime, ça suffit! Website (in French only), created by the AQPV, is designed for teenagers who are the victims of crimes committed by another teenager.

The Bureau de soutien aux services aux personnes victimes d’infractions criminelles (BSSV) at the Ministère de la Justice can provide information and guidance for filing a complaint with a government department or body if you are dissatisfied with the services received.

The services of the BSSV are confidential and provided free of charge.

Call the Bureau de soutien aux services aux personnes victimes d’infractions criminelles (BSSV)

• Monday to Friday, except public holidays
• 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• 418 648-2018
• toll-free: 1 888 483-2778
• bssv@justice.gouv.qc.ca

General notice

Important notice

The BSSV cannot intervene in your case with a government department or agency.

In collaboration with the AQPV, the DPCP has developed the following training workshops:

• Le parcours des personnes victimes dans le système judiciaire criminel : bien le connaitre pour mieux intervenir (in French only)
• Le système de justice pénale pour les adolescents: le connaître pour mieux intervenir auprès des victimes (in French only)

The DPCP and the AQPV have produced specialized information sheets (in French only) about procedures and measures to improve victims’ experience of the justice system.

The information sheets are designed for use by caseworkers who support and advise victims.

To understand how the criminal justice system works in Québec,

• view the judicial system section (in French only), and especially the Judicial Process in Criminal Cases for Adults page;
• watch the DPCP video Violences sexuelles : Les étapes du processus judiciaire (in French only).